We report an adsorption kinetics study on a first order phase transition in an adsorption layer. The conditions for formation of condensed phase domains within the adsorption layer of the amphiphile N-dodecyl-hydroxy-butyric acidamide (DHBAA) dissolved in the aqueous bulk phase are presented. Growth kinetics and orientational order of the domains are analyzed. The found domains have three main growth directions and are subdivided into two sections with different azimuthal chain tilt orientation.

• Received 6 November 1995

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.76.3770