Self-assembly of aromatic molecules over zeolite (010) surfaces: An AFM and semiempirical study

Abstract Self-assembly of pyridine base molecules, pyridine and b-picoline, were observed by atomic force microscopy (AFM) on (0 1 0) surfaces of natural zeolites, heulandite and stilbite, respectively. The molecular array structures of the self-assembled adlayers were determined from the AFM images, and they showed well-ordered, two-dimensional (quasi-) hexagonal lattice structures. Orientations of the molecules within the 2D adlayers were also estimated from the AFM images, and their energetics were calculated by means of a semiempirical molecular orbital method.