Kinetics and thermodynamics in surface-confined molecular self-assembly

Two-dimensional molecular self-assembly at the liquid/solid interface is a widely employed approach in surface science to pattern surfaces at the nanometre scale. A multitude of supramolecular structures can be realized depending on parameters such as the functionalization of the molecular building blocks, the temperature at which self-assembly takes place, the type of solvent and solute concentration. How these and other parameters influence the kinetics and thermodynamics of the self-assembly process is the subject of this review.