电化学沉积法制备金（核）-铜（壳）纳米粒子阵列

以组装在有机分子自组装膜/金基底电极上的Au纳米粒子阵列为电化学沉积模板,制备了金(核)-铜 (壳)纳米粒子阵列.选用巯基十一胺（AUDT）和巯基癸烷（DT）混合自组装膜作为基底电极与Au纳米粒子的耦联层,可以在一定的电位下实现金属Cu在Au纳米粒子上的选择性沉积.将沉积电位控制在－0.03 V（vs SCE）时,沉积初期（t ≤ 15 s,沉积粒子粒径 ≤ 20 nm ）金(核)-铜 (壳)粒子具有良好的单分散性和近似球形,而且粒径实验值同计算值非常吻合.     

偶氮吡啶分子结的制备、表征及电学性质初步研究

具有特异电学性质的分子结的制备及电子输运特性研究是分子电子学领域中的主要内容,对构筑分子电子器件具有重要意义．但是,由于分子结的尺度通常在100nm以下,这使得分子结的低缺陷制备和准确有效的电学特性研究面临困难．目前,自组装方法已经成为降低分子结缺陷的主要手段,     

Highly selective immobilization of Au nanoparticles onto isolated and dense nanopatterns of poly(2-vinyl pyridine) brushes down to single-particle resolution

Chemical patterns consisting of poly(2-vinyl pyridine) (P2VP) brushes in a background of a cross-linked polystyrene (PS) mat enabled the highly selective placement of citrate-stabilized Au nanoparticles (NPs) in arrays on surfaces. The cross-linked PS mat prevented the nonspecific binding of Au NPs, and the regions functionalized with P2VP brushes allowed the immobilization of the particles. Isolated chemical patterns of feature sizes from hundreds to tens of nanometers were prepared by standard lithographic techniques. The number of 13 nm Au NPs bound per feature increased linearly with increasing area of the patterns. This behavior is similar to previous reports using 40 nm particles or larger. Arrays of single NPs were obtained by reducing the dimensions of patterned P2VP brushes to below ~20 nm. To generate dense (center-to-center distance = 80 nm) linear chemical patterns for the placement of rows of single NPs, a block-copolymer (BCP)-assisted lithographic process was used. BCPs healed defects associated with the standard lithographic patterning of small dimensions at high densities and led to highly registered, linear, single NP arrays.     

Template-directed self-assembly of alkanethiol monolayers: selective growth on preexisting monolayer edges

Self-assembled monolayers were investigated for their suitability as two-dimensional scaffolds for the selective growth of alkanethiol edge structures. Heterostructures with chemical contrast could be grown, whose dimensions were governed by both the initial pattern sizes and the process time. n-Octadecanethiol (ODT) was made to expand from the edges of 16-mercaptohexadecanoic acid (MHDA) monolayer patterns. Likewise, 11-mercaptoundecanol (MUD) was grown on MHDA and on ODT monolayer edges. The results of these experiments are in accordance with the moving boundary model for monolayer spreading. In addition to such surface-bound spreading, a vapor-phase contribution to lateral monolayer growth was identified. MUD was observed to be an excellent ink for creating chemical contrast by means of regioselective deposition from a vapor phase. As a proof of principle, ribbons of 11-mercaptoundecanol with submicrometer widths were grown on pentaerythritol-tetrakis(3-mercaptopropionate) edges, and submicrometer wide gold lines were produced by subsequent wet-chemical etching.     

Interaction of gramicidin derivatives with phospholipid monolayers

A study of the interaction of gramicidin A (gA), tert-butyloxycarbonyl-gramicidin (g-BOC), and desformyl gramicidin (g-des) with dioleoyl phosphatidylcholine (DOPC) and DOPC/phosphatidylserine (PS) mixed monolayers on a mercury electrode is reported in this paper. Experiments were carried out in electrolytes KCl (0.1 mol dm(-3)) and Mg(NO3)2 (0.05 mol dm(-3)). The channel-forming properties of the gramicidins were studied by following the reduction of Tl(I) to Tl(Hg). The frequency dependence of the complex impedance of coated electrode surfaces in the presence and absence of the gramicidins was estimated between 65,000 and 0.1 Hz at potentials of -0.4 V versus Ag/AgCl with 3.5 mol dm(-3) KCl. Epifluorescence microscopy was used to qualitatively correlate the interaction of the gramicidin peptides with dipalmitoyl phosphatidylcholine (DPPC) and dipalmitoyl phosphatidylglycerol (DPPG) at the air-water interface. gA was shown to form Tl+ conducting channels in a DOPC monolayer, while g-BOC and g-des did not. In DOPC-30% PS (DOPC-0.3PS) layers, there is a marked increase in channel activity of all three gramicidin derivatives. None of the peptides facilitate the permeability of the DOPC-0.3PS layer to Cd2+. All three peptides interact with the layer as shown by capacitance-potential curves and impedance spectroscopy indicated by penetration of the peptide into the dielectric, an increase in surface "roughness", and an increased significance of low-frequency relaxations. The order of interaction is gA > g-des > g-BOC. The epifluorescence study of DPPC and DPPG layers at the air-water interface shows a selective action of the different gramicidins.     

Size-controlled electrochemical growth of PbS nanostructures into electrochemically patterned self-assembled monolayers

1-Hexadecanethiol self-assembled monolayers (HDT SAMs) on Au(111) were used as a molecular resist to fabricate nanosized patterns by electrochemical reductive partial desorption for subsequent electrodeposition of PbS from the same solution simultaneously. The influences of potential steps of variable pulse width and amplitude on the size and the number of patterns were investigated. The kinetics of pattern formation by reductive desorption appears to be instantaneous according to chronoamperometric and morphological investigations. PbS structures were deposited electrochemically into the patterns on HDT SAMs by a combined electrochemical technique, based on the codeposition from the same saturated PbS solution at the underpotential deposition of Pb and S. Scanning tunneling microscopy measurements showed that all of the PbS deposits were disk shaped and uniformly distributed on Au(111) surfaces. Preliminary results indicated that the diameter and the density of PbS deposits can be controlled by controlling the pulse width and amplitude of potential applied at the reductive removal stage of HDT SAMs and the deposition time during the electrochemical deposition step.     

Selective reductive desorption of a SAM-coated gold electrode revealed using fluorescence microscopy

The reductive desorption of a self-assembled monolayer (SAM) of a fluorescent thiol molecule (BodipyC10SH) from Au was characterized using electrochemistry and epi-fluorescence microscopy. Molecular luminescence is quenched near a metal surface, so fluorescence was only observed for molecules reductively desorbed and then separated from the electrode surface. Fluorescence imaging showed that reductive desorption was selective, with desorption occurring from different regions of the Au electrode depending on the extent of the negative potential excursion. When desorbed, the molecules were sufficiently mobile, diffusing away from the electrode surface, thereby preventing oxidative readsorption. At sufficiently negative desorption potentials, all of the thiol was desorbed from the electrode surface, resulting in fluorescence at the air/solution interface. The selective removal of the thiol monolayer from distinct regions was correlated to features on the electrode surface and was explained through potential-dependent interfacial energies. This in situ electrofluorescence microscopy technique may be useful in sensor development.     

Electrochemical atomic layer epitaxy (ECALE)

Electrodeposition holds promise as a low cost, flexible room temperature technique for the production of II-VI compound semiconductors. Previous studies, however, have resulted in the production of polycrystalline deposits in every case. This paper describes a new method, developed in this laboratory, for depositing these materials epitaxially. The method involves the alternate deposition of the component elements a monolayer at a time. To limit deposition to a monolayer, underpotential deposition (UPD) is employed. UPD occurs because of the enhanced stability provided by bond formation between the II and VI elements, relative to formation of bulk elemental deposits. This method is the electrochemical equivalent of atomic layer epitaxy (ALE), and is thus referred to as “electrochemical atomic layer epitaxy” (ECALE). This paper describes the first example of the ECALE method, involving the thin-layer electrodeposition of CdTe on a Au polycrystalline electrode.     

Nucleating pattern formation in spin-coated polymer blend films with nanoscale surface templates

We use Dip-Pen Nanolithography (DPN) to generate monolayer surface templates for guiding pattern formation in spin-coated polymer blend films. We study template-directed pattern formation in blends of polystyrene/poly(2-vinylpyridine) (PS/P2VP) as well as blends of PS and the semiconducting conjugated polymer poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT). We show that acid-terminated monolayers can be used to template pattern formation in PS/P3HT blends, while hydrophobic monolayers can be used to template pattern formation in PS/P2VP blends. In both blends, the polymer patterns comprise laterally-phase separated regions surrounded by vertically separated bilayers. We hypothesize that the observed patterns are formed by template-induced dewetting of the bottom layer of a polymer bilayer during the spin-coating process. We compare the effects of template feature size and spacing on the resulting polymer patterns with predictions from published models of template-directed dewetting in thin films and find the data in good agreement. For both blends we observe that a minimum feature size is required to nucleate dewetting/phase separation. We find this minimum template diameter to be approximately 180 nm in 50/50 PS/P2VP blends, and approximately 100 nm in 50/50 PS/P3HT blends. For larger template diameters, PS/P2VP blends show evidence for pattern formation beginning at the template boundaries, while PS/P3HT blends rupture randomly across the template features.     

Extending Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy to Liquids Using Shell-Isolated Plasmonic Superstructures

Plasmonic superstructures (PS) based on Au/SiO₂ were prepared for Shell-Isolated Nanoparticle-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy (SHINERS) in liquid phase applications. These superstructures are composed of functionalized SiO₂ spheres with plasmonic Au nanoparticles (NPs) on their surface. Functionalization was performed with (3-aminopropyl)trimethoxysilane, (3-mercaptopropyl)trimethoxysilane and poly(ethylene-imine) (PEI). Of these three, PEI-functionalized spheres showed the highest adsorption density of Au NPs in TEM, UV/Vis and dynamic light scattering (DLS) experiments. Upon decreasing the Au NP/SiO₂ sphere size ratio, an increase in adsorption density was also observed. To optimize plasmonic activity, 61 nm Au NPs were adsorbed onto 900 nm SiO₂-PEI spheres and these PS were coated with an ultrathin layer (1–2 nm) of SiO₂ to obtain Shell-Isolated Plasmonic Superstructures (SHIPS), preventing direct contact between Au NPs and the liquid medium. Zeta potential measurements, TEM and SHINERS showed that SiO₂ coating was successful. The detection limit for SHINERS using SHIPS and a 638 nm laser was around 10⁻¹² m of Rhodamine (10⁻¹⁵ m for uncoated PS), all with acquisition settings suitable for catalysis applications.     

Selective adsorption and alignment behaviors of double- and multiwalled carbon nanotubes on bare Au and SiO2 surfaces

We present the study of selective adsorption and alignment behaviors of double- and multiwalled carbon nanotubes (dwCNTs and mwCNTs) on self-assembled monolayer (SAM) patterns, bare Au, and SiO2 surfaces. dwCNTs and mwCNTs exhibited stronger affinity to polar SAMs, bare Au, and SiO2 surfaces than to nonpolar SAM surfaces. Furthermore, we found the adsorption probability of smaller carbon nanotubes (CNTs) was higher than that of larger CNTs. As proof of concept, we successfully assembled and aligned dwCNTs and mwCNTs on Au and SiO2 substrates without relying on external forces and demonstrated wafer-scale fabrication of back-gate transistors based on dwCNTs with a high yield.     

Detergent-protein interactions in aqueous buffer suspensions of Photosystem I (PS I)

Systematic and uniform monolayer formation of Photosystem I (PS I) onto self-assembled monolayer (SAM) substrates to enable unidirectional electron transfer is crucial for its successful use in the fabrication of bio-hybrid solid-state electronic or photovoltaic devices. Yet, our recent studies (Mukherjee et al., 2010) indicate that surface self-assembly of PS I from aqueous buffer suspensions onto alkanethiolate SAM/Au substrates frequently leads to complex columnar structures due to solution phase protein aggregations. We investigate the effect of two prototypical non-ionic detergents, n-Dodecyl-β-D-Maltoside (DM) and Triton X-100 (TX-100), on protein-protein interactions via the protein-detergent interfacial chemistry. Dynamic light scattering (DLS) experiments are used to demonstrate the impact of relative protein/detergent concentrations on aggregation dynamics of PS I suspensions. In turn, the surface attachment characteristics of PS I adsorbed from the aforementioned suspensions onto SAM/Au substrate is examined by atomic force (AFM) microscopy. Our results indicate that relative concentration of PS I and detergents (DM or, TX-100) with respect to their critical micelle concentrations (CMC) determines the extent of self-association between PS I complexes driven by the screening induced by detergent micelles and/or, inter-protein distances. Such interfacial phenomena during the PS I-detergent complexation process drives the colloidal system through various regimes of phase separations, suspension and/or, de-aggregation, wherein individual PS I complexes can exist in a frustrated state that prevents favorable orientations for PS I-PS I interactions. The present study presents a novel strategy, heretofore not considered, for tailoring inter-protein distances and protein-protein interactions in solution phase, thereby allowing a superior control on the surface attachment of PS I onto SAM/Au substrates.     

The nature of alkanethiol self-assembled monolayer adsorption on sputtered gold substrates

A detailed study of the self-assembly and coverage by 1-nonanethiol of sputtered Au surfaces using molecular resolution atomic force microscopy (AFM) and scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) is presented. The monolayer self-assembles on a smooth Au surface composed predominantly of [111] oriented grains. The domains of the alkanethiol monolayer are observed with sizes typically of 5-25 nm, and multiple molecular domains can exist within one Au grain. STM imaging shows that the (4 x 2) superlattice structure is observed as a (3 x 2) structure when imaged under noncontact AFM conditions. The 1-nonanethiol molecules reside in the threefold hollow sites of the Au[111] lattice and aligned along its [112] lattice vectors. The self-assembled monolayer (SAM) contains many nonuniformities such as pinholes, domain boundaries, and monatomic depressions which are present in the Au surface prior to SAM adsorption. The detailed observations demonstrate limitations to the application of 1-nonanethiol as a resist in atomic nanolithography experiments to feature sizes of approximately 20 nm.     

Controlled Electrodeposition of Au‐Copper Oxide Nanocomposite on a Renewable Carbon Ceramic Electrode for Sensitive Determination of NADH in Serum Samples

In this study, a sensitive nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH) biosensor based on Au‐Copper oxide nanocomposite modified carbon ceramic electrode (Au?CuO/CCE) was introduced. The developed NADH biosensor was prepared by controlled electrodeposition of copper and Au nanoparticles on the surface of a renewable CCE and was turned to Au?CuO/CCE by cycling the potential in alkaline media. The prepared electrode was carefully characterized with scanning electron microscopy, X‐ray diffraction, atomic force microscopy and cyclic voltammetry techniques. According to scan rate study, surface coverage (Γ) of the fabricated Au?CuO/CCE was calculated to be 1.54×10^?8 mol cm^?2 which was 3 time more than CuO/CCE. The fabricated electrode is well stable which could be reliably utilized for the determination of NADH with amperometry technique over the concentration range of 1–29 μM with sensitivity and detection limit (S/N=3) of 0.1025 μA μM^?1 and 0.09 μM respectively. The prepared biosensor was used for NADH determination in serum samples with fast response time and satisfactory analytical results.     

In situ electrochemical SFG/DFG study of CN⁻ and nitrile adsorption at au from 1-butyl-1-methyl-pyrrolidinium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl) amide ionic liquid([BMP][TFSA]) containing 4-{2-[1-(2-cyanoethyl)-1,2,3,4-tetrahydroquinolin-6-yl]diazenyl} benzonitrile (CTDB) and K[Au(CN)₂

In this paper we report an in situ electrochemical Sum-/Difference Frequency Generation (SFG/DFG) spectroscopy investigation of the adsorption of nitrile and CN? from the ionic liquid 1-butyl-1-methyl-pyrrolidinium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl) amide ([BMP][TFSA]) containing 4-{2-[1-(2-cyanoethyl)-1,2,3,4-tetrahydroquinolin-6-yl]-diazenyl}benzonitrile (CTDB) at Au electrodes in the absence and in the presence of the Au-electrodeposition process from K[Au(CN)?]. The adsorption of nitrile and its coadsorption with CN? resulting either from the cathodic decomposition of the dye or from ligand release from the Au(I) cyanocomplex yield potential-dependent single or double SFG bands in the range 2,125-2,140 cm?1, exhibiting Stark tuning values of ca. 3 and 1 cm?1 V?1 in the absence and presence of electrodeposition, respectively. The low Stark tuning found during electrodeposition correlates with the cathodic inhibiting effect of CTDB, giving rise to its levelling properties. The essential insensitivity of the other DFG parameters to the electrodeposition process is due to the growth of smooth Au.     

Modulation of cyanobacterial photosystem I deposition properties on alkanethiolate Au substrate by various experimental conditions

We present results from atomic force microscopy (AFM) images indicating various experimental conditions, which alter the morphological characteristics of self-assembled cyanobacterial PS I on hydroxyl-terminated self-assembled alkanethiolate monolayers (SAM/Au) substrates. AFM topographical images of SAM/Au substrates incubated in solutions containing different PS I concentrations solubilized with Triton X-100 as the detergent reveal large columnar aggregates (～100 nm and hence, much taller than a single PS I trimer) at high PS I concentrations. Depositions from dilute PS I suspensions reveal fewer aggregates and relatively uniform surface topography (～10 nm). Confocal fluorescence microscopy analysis of fluorescently tagged PS I deposited on to SAM/Au substrates using electric field and gravity driven techniques reveal preliminary indications of directionally aligned PS I attachments, besides corroborating a uniform monolayer formation, for the former deposition method. The complex attachment dynamics of PS I onto SAM substrates are further investigated from the AFM images of PS I/SAM/Au substrates prepared under different experimental conditions using: 1) PS I isolated as monomers and trimers 2) adsorption at elevated temperatures, and 3) different detergents with varying pH values. In each of the cases, the surface topology indicated distinct yet complex morphological and phase characteristics. These observations provide useful insight into the use of experimental parameters to alter the morphological assembly of PS I on to SAM substrates en route to successful fabrication of PS I based biohybrid photoelectrochemical devices.     

Understanding the copper underpotential deposition process at strained gold surface

Copper underpotential deposition (UPD) on a gold surface is investigated by cyclic voltammetry coupled with in situ cyclic strain to understand the strain-modulated electrodeposition. Our work emphasizes quantification of an electrocapillary coupling coefficient ς, which relates the response of Cu electrodeposition potential, E, to applied strain, ε. The different responses to the strain are observed at two Cu UPD stages. The data indicate that tensile strain could enhance the formation of a Cu monolayer on the Au surface. The typical electrodeposition process could be modulated by an external mechanical strain.     

Direct observation of nanoparticle embedding into the surface of a polymer melt

Direct embedding of metal nanoparticles (NPs) into the surface of a polymer melt is observed by TEM and a new embedding mechanism proposed. Upon annealing above the glass transition temperature of polystyrene (PS), NPs (20 nm gold) are rapidly covered by a thin PS wetting layer, h* approximately 1.3-1.8 nm (i.e., about two or three monomers). Because it creates capillary pressure on a NP, this "universal" wetting layer is proposed to be responsible for NP embedding. The value of h* is independent of the molecular weight of PS and constant during the embedding process. The value of h* is found to be similar to the equilibrium wetting layer thickness of a polymer melt spreading on a metal substrate. Using a model that includes the spreading coefficient, long-range van der Waals interactions, and a chain-stretching penalty, h* is shown to be independent of the molecular weight of the polymer. Using this model and the measured value of h*, the interfacial energy between Au NP and PS is estimated to be 8.7 J/m2.     

Electrochemical determination of dopamine in the presence of ascorbic acid and uric acid using the synergistic effect of gold nanoflowers and L-cysteamine monolayer at the surface of a gold electrode

This paper describes a facile and effective method to synthesize gold nanoflowers (AuNFs) by a controllable electrodeposition method induced by a L-cysteamine (L-Cys) monolayer self-assembled on the surface of a gold electrode. The AuNFs/L-Cys/Au electrodes were characterized by field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), cyclic voltammetry, and AC impedance spectroscopy methods. This obtained AuNFs/L-Cys/Au electrode exhibits excellent electrocatalytic activity towards the oxidation of dopamine (DA) due to the synergistic effect of AuNFs and a L-Cys monolayer. Differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) experiment results show that the oxidation peak of DA is separated from the oxidation peaks of ascorbic acid (AA) and uric acid (UA), which can be used to detect DA in the presence of AA and UA, and the results are satisfactory.     

Chemical imaging of terrace-based active sites on gold

Scanning tunneling microscopy data of a mixed monolayer comprised of a 40:60 ratio of H8Si8O12 and C6H13-H7Si8O12 clusters on gold are presented. The images display a composite monolayer surface with well-defined domain regions of the individual components. Holes present at face-centered cubic (fcc) sites of the starting Au/H7Si8O12 adsorbate layer indicate the location of active sites for impinging C6H13-H7Si8O12 clusters. Adsorption of a C6H13-H7Si8O12 cluster likely yields a mobile hydrogen atom available to recombine with and desorb an adjacent H8Si8O12 cluster. Hydrogen atom diffusion along substrate [121] directions is the proposed pattern formation mechanism of the mixed monolayer. Imaging of the spherosiloxane cluster domains identifies a novel terrace-based active site located in the fcc regions of the Au(111) 23 x square root3 surface reconstruction.