Transition From Van Der Waals To H Bond Dominated Interaction In N-Propanol Physisorbed On Graphite

Multilayer sorption isotherms of 1-propanol on graphite have been measured by means of high-resolution ellipsometry within the liquid regime of the adsorbed film for temperatures ranging from 180 to 260 K. In the first three monolayers the molecules are oriented parallel to the substrate and the growth is roughly consistent with the Frenkel-Halsey-Hill (FHH) model that is obeyed in van der Waals systems on strong substrates. The condensation of the fourth and higher layers is delayed with respect to the FHH model. The fourth layer is actually a bilayer. Furthermore, there is indication of a wetting transition. The results are interpreted in terms of hydrogen-bridge bonding within and between the layers.