On the formation kinetics of two-dimensional cytidine films

The kinetics of phase transitions of cytidine adsorbed on mercury are studied by chronoamperometry and capacitance measurements. Cytidine forms highly ordered two-dimensional adlayers in a broad range of pH. In acid solvent, only one kind of condensed layer is formed. In the alkaline solution, cytidine forms two different two-dimensional (2D) adlayers. The minimum capacitance value in adlayer II at pH 5 is 7.0 μF cm−2 and, at pH 8.3, it is 5.1 μF cm−2; in adlayer III, the minimum capacitance is 10.6 μF cm−2. The formation of a physisorbed film of cytidine molecules adsorbed at the mercury surface proceeds by complex mechanisms. From j–t transients, it can be seen that the phase transformations from dilute adlayer Ia to condensed physisorbed film II is accompanied by the reorientation of cytidine molecules at the mercury surface (inverted current transient). The interfacial transformations of the cytidine film yield a sigmoidal C–t transient. This experimentally measured C–t transient were analysed by Avrami theorem. The rate of the transformations from dilute adlayer Ia to condensed film II of cytidine at pH 5 depends strongly on temperature but is only slightly affected by temperature at pH 8.3. The effect of pH and ionic composition of the supporting electrolyte on the rate of transformation of cytidine films was studied as well.