The water, of course! Impurity-induced polymorphism in the self-assembly of interfacial trimesic acid monolayers

Key Points

• The aim is to explore how impurities affect the polymorphic behavior during the self-assembly of trimesic acid monolayers.
• Utilized Scanning Tunneling Microscopy to visualize monolayer structures.
• Analyzed the influence of different impurities on self-assembly processes.
• Investigated the formation of polymorphic structures under varying conditions.
• Identified distinct polymorphic forms of trimesic acid influenced by specific impurities.
• Illustrated how impurities lead to variations in molecular arrangement in monolayers.
• Demonstrated the potential for tailored material properties by adjusting impurities.