Thin films have been created on the surface of highly oriented pyrolytic graphite electrodes from chemically synthesized pi-donor species by using the cyclic voltammetry technique and in situ electrochemistry-atomic force microscopy. Results indicate that it is possible to form new compounds called molecular materials from the coupling of electro-oxidized N-trifluoromethanesulfonyl-1-azahexa-1,3,5-triene species and a [Cr(C2O4)3]3- anion. Different techniques such as AFM, SEM and EDS were employed to characterize the films morphology and composition. Results indicate that the new materials exhibited a particular electrochemical response and a different film texture depending on the chemical composition of the starting compounds.
thin films; electrodeposition; in situ AFM