Ordered mono- and multi-layers from

This thesis reports on the investigation of self-assembled monoand multilayers from nanographene derivatives via scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) at solid-liquid interfaces. Because of the unique electronic properties associated with their π-bonded topology, nanographenes are promising building blocks for molecular and organic electronics, which provide the possibility of tunability together with low-cost processing, light weight, and flexibility. For the application in electronics it is necessary to organize nanographenes in ultrathin films with well-ordered supramolecular structures. Nanostructures of monolayers on Highly Oriented Pyrolytic Graphite (HOPG) are studied for different nanographene derivatives, such as alkylated hexa-peri-hexabenzocoronenes (HBCs) with different symmetries, and triangle-shaped polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). They exhibit a surprising diversity of supramolecular structures, for example zigzag, flowerlike or honeycomb shapes. A fascinating peculiarity provides the honeycomb structures which are self-assembled from triangle-shaped alkylated phenyl PAHs, which provide nanotemplates to accommodate guest molecules. In many cases, nanographene derivatives not only form monolayers but also multilayers on HOPG. Star-shaped HBC molecules self organize into bilayers in polar solvents, which exhibit the potential for the formation of building blocks of organic electronics, for instance nanowires. The alkylated phenyl HBCs form polycrystalline structures both in the “face-on” arrangement in a monolayer on HOPG, and “edge-on” in multilayers within an external electric field. Both may be useful for potential applications, since in a photovoltaic cell, the “face-on” orientation on surfaces is required, while for the purpose to be applied in organic field-effect transistors, the “edge-on” nanostructure on the electrodes is necessary.