LAUSR

Abstract The effects of concentration and an oriented external electric field on the transformations of hydrogen-bonded structures of trimesic acid (TMA) and terephthalic acid (TPA) have been investigated at a liquid–solid interface by scanning tunneling microscopy (STM). The triangular periodic TMA framework can be transformed into a flower-like structure by changing the STM sample bias sign in situ. Networks of TMA and TPA are porous at a negative substrate bias, but typically change to relatively compact forms when the polarity of the applied bias is reversed. This change is reversible if the applied bias is reversed. The effects have potentials to locally control the capture and release of analytes in host-guest systems and the 2D morphology in multicomponent layers.