Extended Data Fig. 5: Dynamics of the interfacial structure on mica surface in 1 mM CrCl3 at various pH values.
From: How charge frustration causes ion ordering and microphase separation at surfaces
a, b, AFM images display the adsorption of Cr3+ ions/clusters on the mica surface into ordered patterns at pH 2.1 and pH 3.1. c, At pH 4.5, the clusters cross-link and form a discontinuous film with nanometer-sized gaps in between. The insets in each image show autocorrelation patterns, revealing that the clusters exhibit near-hexagonal symmetry, which breaks when the films form. d, 1D autocorrelation plots, indicating that the distance between clusters and nearby films is consistently 2.5 to 3 nm during the transition. e-i, in-situ AFM images of the dynamics of Cr3+ clusters on mica at pH 3, with an averaged frame in (j). k-o, in-situ AFM images of the dynamics of the Cr(OH)3 films at pH 4.5, with an averaged frame in (p).
