Surface plasmon resonance research on photoinduced switch properties of liquid crystalline azobenzene polymer Langmuir–Blodgett films

We report a novel phenomenon of photoisomerization-induced switch properties in liquid crystalline azo-benzene polymer poly{2-hydroetheyl methacrylate}-co-{6-[4-(S-2-methyl-1-butyloxycarbonylphenylazo) phenoxy]hexyl methacrylate} Langmuir–Blodgett (LB) monolayers. These monolayers were deposited on gold film and irradiated with UV (360 nm) and blue (450 nm) light. The switch properties were investigated by the surface plasmon resonance (SPR) technique. A method called photoinduced patterning was used for the fabrication of a model molecular device. It has been found that the photoinduced process of writing and erasing in such devices can be repeated for tens of cycles.     

Alkanephosphonates on hafnium-modified gold: a new class of self-assembled organic monolayers

A new method for assembling organic monolayers on gold is reported that employs hafnium ions as linkers between a phosphonate headgroup and the gold surface. Monolayers of octadecylphosphonic acid (ODPA) formed on gold substrates that had been pretreated with hafnium oxychloride are representative of this new class of organic thin films. The monolayers are dense enough to completely block assembly of alkanethiols and resist displacement by alkanethiols. The composition and structure of the monolayers were investigated by contact angle goniometry, XPS, PM-IRRAS, and TOF-SIMS. From these studies, it was determined that this assembly strategy leads to the formation of ODPA monolayers similar in quality to those typically formed on metal oxide substrates. The assembly method allows for the ready generation of patterned surfaces that can be easily prepared by first patterning hafnium on the gold surface followed by alkanephosphonate assembly. Using the bifunctional (thiol-phosphonate) 2-mercaptoethylphosphonic acid (2-MEPA), we show that this new assembly chemistry is compatible with gold-thiol chemistry and use TOF-SIMS to show that the molecule attaches through the phosphonate functionality in the patterned region and through the thiol in the bare gold regions. These results demonstrate the possibility of functionalizing metal substrates with monolayers typically formed on metal oxide surfaces and show that hafnium-gold chemistry is complementary and orthogonal to well-established gold-thiol assembly strategies.     

Inkjet deposition of alkanethiolate monolayers and DNA oligonucleotides on gold: evaluation of spot uniformity by wet etching

Inkjet printing allows localized, contact-free deposition of liquids onto arbitrary substrates. In this article we demonstrate the fast formation of high-quality self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) on gold surfaces. Using a selective etch process, we verify the uniformity of the deposited spots. A direct comparison with microcontact-printed SAMs on Au revealed similar resist quality as inkjet-deposited alkanethiolate SAMs. Likewise, inkjet printing of thiol-functionalized and non-thiolated single-stranded DNA oligomers formed molecular layers protecting Au from etchants. For all compounds used, we achieved etched patterns that were homogeneous and free of defects. These results indicate that an inkjet is a convenient tool for surface functionalization and the direct writing of molecular films and resists.     

纳米金表面二元自组装及其电泳表征

用DNA饱和包被纳米金,再用巯基己醇(MCH)和4-巯基苯甲酸(MBA)取代纳米金表面的DNA,在纳米金表面形成二元单分子层;用MBA饱和包被纳米金,用DNA取代纳米金表面的MBA,在纳米金表面形成二元单分子层;用凝胶电泳对二元单分子层的自组装过程进行表征。实验结果表明,含有MBA的二元单分子层能使纳米金稳定的分散于水溶液,而含MCH的二元单分子层中,MCH量过大时易使纳米金发生凝聚;在纳米金表面DNA取代MBA比MBA取代DNA更容易。     

金纳米粒子组装体系中偶联单分子层膜结构的SERS光谱表征与分析

通过分子自组装方法制备4,4′-二硫联吡啶(PySSPy)单分子膜修饰的金电极. 利用所形成的对巯基吡啶自组装单分子膜(SAMs)作为偶联层进行金纳米粒子有序膜的组装. 对该纳米粒子组装体系进行Raman光谱测定, 得到了具有良好信噪比的对巯基吡啶单分子膜的表面增强拉曼散射(SERS)光谱. 在此基础上, 进一步采用电化学现场SERS光谱技术研究了该纳米粒子组装体系的SERS光谱随电位变化的规律. 在该体系稳定的电位范围内表征对巯基吡啶单分子膜的特征谱峰1011与1093 cm^-1、1575与1610 cm^-1以及1206与1215 cm^-1这三对谱峰其强度随着所施加电位的改变呈现出明显的规律性. 分析表明, 偶联单分子层中吡啶环芳香性随着所施加电位的改变而有规律地变化是SERS光谱特征改变的内在原因.     

Spontaneous assembly of organic thiocyanates on gold sufaces. Alternative precursors for gold thiolate assemblies

Thiolate self-assembly on gold has proven to be a valuable technique for assembling monolayers on a wide variety of substrates. However, the oxidative instability of the thiols, especially aromatic thiols and alpha,omega-dithiols, presents several difficulties. Shown here is that thiocyanates, easily synthesized stable thiol derivatives, can be directly assembled on gold surfaces with no auxiliary reagents required. Assembly is complete in 24 h and leaves a similar gold thiolate structure as seen in typical thiol self-assembled monolayers.     

金电极上L-半胱氨酸短链分子自组装单层的电化学性能和拉曼光谱研究

用循环伏安法分别测定了金电极表面L-半胱氨酸(L-Cys)和十二硫醇自组装单分子层的电化学行为, 实验发现虽然单层结构排列致密, 但并不能有效地阻碍铁氰化钾与电极间异相电子转移过程, 同时观察到十二烷基硫醇自组装层能较好地阻碍电子转移作用. 运用表面增强拉曼散射光谱技术, 以十二烷基硫醇作为缺陷探针, 从分子水平上证实了L-半胱氨酸自组装单层的稳定性和致密性.     

Rapid evaluation and screening of interfacial reactions on self-assembled monolayers

This paper reports 16 chemical reactions for elaborating the structures of self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) of alkanethiolates on gold. This work takes advantage of matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization and time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) to rapidly characterize the products and yields of reactions that occur with molecules attached to monolayers. The paper also describes a method for screening reaction conditions, wherein monolayers are treated with an array of reactants and mass spectrometry is used to identify those regions that undergo reactions to give new, and unanticipated, products in high yield. These examples serve to increase the collection of reactions that can be used to elaborate the structures, and therefore the properties, of self-assembled monolayers of alkanethiolates on gold and to introduce label-free methods for screening interfacial reactions.     

Organic monolayers chemisorbed on gold observed by scanning probe microscopy

Scanning force (SFM) and scanning tunneling (STM) microscopies are suitable techniques for the investigation of the structure of organic monolayers. Results are presented on thioalkane monolayers and thiolipid monolayers on gold. Both molecules attach covalently to the gold surface. STM images of the self assembled dodecanethiol layer display the molecular order of the film and reveal the presence of defects at the molecular scale. Moreover, domains and domain boundaries can be distinguished. Thiolipid layers on gold have been observed by SFM. The monolayer separates in solid-analogous star shaped domains and fluid-analogous domains. Imaging under water demonstrates the stability of the layer.     

Electrochemical behavior of gold electrodes modified with self-assembled monolayers with an acidic end group for selective detection of dopamine

Gold electrodes modified with monolayers with ionic end groups of different acidity and structure have been evaluated for the detection of dopamine. It has been demonstrated that the selectivity of monolayers depends not only on ionic charge but also on the nature of the ionic end group and defects in the monolayer. Catalytic effects due to the electrocatalytic oxidation of ascorbic acid by dopamine are present at the monolayer modified gold electrode. The angle resolved XPS (X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy) experiments demonstrate that the sulfonate group do not compete with thiol on binding the gold electrode. The capacitance measurements demonstrate that the capacitance depends on the length, end group type and defects present in monolayers.     

取代苯基硫脲在Au表面的自组装

制备了对甲苯基硫脲、对氯苯基硫脲和2，4，6-三溴苯基硫脲在Au表面的自组装单分子膜（SAMs），用润湿角测量仪、椭圆偏振仪、X-射线光电子能谱仪（XPS）和原子力显微镜（AFM）对单分子膜进行了分析表征。结果表明取代苯基硫脲分子的S原子与Au形成Au-S键而诱导吸附分子形成取向排列的单分子膜。由于Au表面本身具有一定的缺陷和吸附的可逆性，使得所形成的单分子膜具有一定的缺陷。     

Photooxidation of self-assembled monolayers by exposure to light of wavelength 254 nm: a static SIMS study

Self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) of alkanethiols have been photooxidized by exposure to light from a lamp emitting light with a wavelength of 254 nm. The data confirm that SAM oxidation on exposure to UV light sources occurs in the absence of ozone, but also suggest that the mechanism is different from that observed in previous studies using broad-spectrum arc lamps. In particular, for monolayers on both gold and silver, carboxylic acid-terminated SAMs oxidize significantly faster than methyl-terminated SAMs, in contrast to earlier observations for monolayers exposed to light from a mercury arc lamp. The difference in rates of photooxidation for the two classes of monolayer is significantly greater on silver than on gold. These data support our recent suggestion that while methyl-terminated SAMs are able to pack much more closely on silver than on gold, carboxylic acid-terminated thiols are not able to adopt the same close-packed structures, and their rates of photooxidation on silver are similar to, or slightly greater than, those measured for the same adsorbates on gold. Surface potential measurements were made for carboxylic acid- and methyl-terminated SAMs using a Kelvin probe apparatus. It was found that the work functions of carboxylic acid-terminated SAMs are significantly greater than those of methyl-terminated monolayers. It is concluded that these data are consistent with the oxidation reaction being initiated by "hot" electrons generated following the interaction of photons with the metallic substrate.     

Synthesis and structural characterization of glucopyranosylamide films on gold

Self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) of glucose derivatives on gold have been prepared from alpha- and beta-glucopyranosylamide derivatives. The glucosyl conjugates were synthesized stereoselectively via the in situ generation of glucosyl isoxazolines followed by treatment with thiopyridyl esters. The resulting film structures were characterized by atomic force microscopy, reflection Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The experimental data indicated that alpha- or beta-linked glucopyranosylamide derivatives with free hydroxyl groups attach to gold via the thiol linker. Both derivatives form monolayer films with high packing densities--comparable to those typically observed for alkanethiol monolayers on gold. Acetate analogues of these conjugates do not form SAMs on gold; they form multilayered films under identical deposition conditions.     

水溶性聚合物和两亲聚合物——10.两亲聚合物PAMC_(16)S的自组装有序膜

用自组装技术在金(纯金和经阳极氧化的金)表面上获得了新型两亲聚合物PAMC_(16)S的有序膜。用接触角测试,XPS谱和电化学分析等方法对自组装膜进行了表征。根据膜表面的润湿性,金表面的自组装膜是疏水的,亲水的磺酸基团连于金表面,而疏水的碳氢链从表面伸展出。XPS实验结果支持金表面上单层膜的疏水结构。聚合物单层膜复盖的金电极起到含有针孔缺陷的阻膈型电极的作用。单层膜在法拉第反应中显示很强的吸附稳定性,说明聚合物LB膜在潜在应用中有其特有的特点。     

Surface‐Confined Electropolymerization of Methylene Blue on Gold Electrodes

We report on the electrochemical behaviour and electropolymerization of self‐assembled monolayers (SAMs) of methylene blue (MB) on gold electrodes. The SAMs of MB on gold electrodes were prepared by immersing the substrates into a solution of 1.0 mM MB in absolute ethanol for different times at room temperature. Cyclic voltammetry experiments exhibited that reductive desorption of MB monolayer takes place at three different potentials on polycrystalline gold electrodes, while reductive desorption of MB monolayer consists of only one peak on single crystal Au(111) substrates. Calculated charge densities for different immersion times indicated that optimal immersion time for self‐assembly of MB is 96 h. Electropolymerization of SAMs of MB on gold electrode was achieved by applying 0.95 V for 1 s in 0.1 M borate buffer solution (pH: 9.0). It was observed that poly(MB) monolayers are highly stable in acidic media. ATR‐FTIR and UV‐vis spectra exhibited differences between monomer and polymer monolayers, which are attributed to surface‐confined electropolymerization. STM image of poly(MB) monolayer on Au(111) substrate revealed a surface that is covered by well‐ordered, collateral nanowires with an average size of 3 nm.     

Self-assembled gold nanoparticles on functionalized gold (111) studied by scanning tunneling microscopy

Nanogold colloidal solutions are prepared by the reduction of HAuClO4 with sodium citrate and sodium borohydride.4-Aminothiophenol (ATP) self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) are formed on gold(111) surface,on which gold nanopartides are immobilized and a sub-monolayer of the particles appears.This sub-monolayer of gold nanopartides is characterized with scanning tunneling microscopy (STM),and a dual energy barrier tunneling model is proposed to explain the imageability of the gold nanopartides by STM.This model can also be used to construct multiple energy barrier structure on solid/ liquid interface and to evaluate the electron transport ability of some organic monolayers with the aid of electrochemical method.     

Solvent-dependent assembly of terphenyl- and quaterphenyldithiol on gold and gallium arsenide

The assembly of terphenyldithiol (TPDT) and quaterphenyldithiol (QPDT) on gold and gallium arsenide from ethanol (EtOH), tetrahydrofuran (THF), and solutions consisting of both solvents has been characterized by near-edge X-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy. The surface coverage and the average orientation of both TPDT and QPDT on gold are solvent-independent. These molecules readily form monolayers on gold with an ensemble-average backbone tilt of 30 degrees +/- 3 degrees from the substrate normal. In sharp contrast, the assembly of TPDT and QPDT on gallium arsenide is extremely solvent-sensitive. At high ethanol fractions, both molecules form monolayers with an ensemble-average orientation that is indistinguishable from those on gold substrates. At low ethanol fractions and in pure THF, however, these molecules are disordered on gallium arsenide and the surface coverage is poor.     

Arg–Cys and Arg–cysteamine adsorbed on gold and the G-protein–adsorbate interaction

The dipeptide, Arg–Cys, and the related molecule, Arg–cysteamine, are adsorbed to gold surfaces and the monolayers are characterized. Chemical binding and electronic structure of the monolayers are obtained by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Strong molecular binding of the adsorbates to gold surface through the sulfur atom is attained. Orientation of the adsorbates on gold is studied using infrared reflection absorption spectroscopy (IRAS). Arg–Cys is interpreted to be adsorbed on gold in a compact configuration. The Arg–cysteamine molecule is adsorbed on gold with the main molecular axis perpendicular to the surface. Interaction of G-protein with the adsorbates was studied using the surface plasmon resonance (SPR) technique. It is believed that arginine has a major role in G-protein recognition since the G-protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) ₂A has an arginine-rich region in the G-protein-binding part of the third intracellular loop.     

Light-harvesting and photocurrent generation by gold electrodes modified with mixed self-assembled monolayers of boron-dipyrrin and ferrocene-porphyrin-fullerene triad

Three different kinds of mixed self-assembled monolayers have been prepared to mimic photosynthetic energy and electron transfer on a gold surface. Pyrene and boron-dipyrrin were chosen as a light-harvesting model. The mixed self-assembled monolayers of pyrene (or boron-dipyrrin) and porphyrin (energy acceptor model) reveal photoinduced singlet-singlet energy transfer from the pyrene (or boron-dipyrrin) to the porphyrin on the gold surface. The boron-dipyrrin has also been combined with a reaction center model, ferrocene-porphyrin-fullerene triad, to construct integrated artificial photosynthetic assemblies on a gold electrode using mixed monolayers of the respective self-assembled unit. The mixed self-assembled monolayers on the gold electrode have established a cascade of photoinduced energy transfer and multistep electron transfer, leading to the production of photocurrent output with the highest quantum yield (50 +/- 8%, based on the adsorbed photons) ever reported for photocurrent generation at monolayer-modified metal electrodes and across artificial membranes using donor-acceptor linked molecules. The incident photon-to-current efficiency (IPCE) of the photoelectrochemical cell at 510 and 430 nm was determined as 0.6% and 1.6%, respectively. Thus, the present system provides the first example of an artificial photosynthetic system, which not only mimics light-harvesting and charge separation processes in photosynthesis but also acts as an efficient light-to-current converter in molecular devices.     

Enantiomeric interactions between liquid crystals and organized monolayers of tyrosine-containing dipeptides

We have examined the orientational ordering of nematic liquid crystals (LCs) supported on organized monolayers of dipeptides with the goal of understanding how peptide-based interfaces encode intermolecular interactions that are amplified into supramolecular ordering. By characterizing the orientations of nematic LCs (4-cyano-4'-pentylbiphenyl and TL205 (a mixture of mesogens containing cyclohexane-fluorinated biphenyls and fluorinated terphenyls)) on monolayers of l-cysteine-l-tyrosine, l-cysteine-l-phenylalanine, or l-cysteine-l-phosphotyrosine formed on crystallographically textured films of gold, we conclude that patterns of hydrogen bonds generated by the organized monolayers of dipeptides are transduced via macroscopic orientational ordering of the LCs. This conclusion is supported by the observation that the ordering exhibited by the achiral LCs is specific to the enantiomers used to form the dipeptide-based monolayers. The dominant role of the -OH group of tyrosine in dictating the patterns of hydrogen bonds that orient the LCs was also evidenced by the effects of phosphorylation of the tyrosine on the ordering of the LCs. Overall, these results reveal that crystallographic texturing of gold films can direct the formation of monolayers of dipeptides with long-range order, thus unmasking the influence of hydrogen bonding, chirality, and phosphorylation on the macroscopic orientational ordering of LCs supported on these surfaces. These results suggest new approaches based on supramolecular assembly for reporting the chemical functionality and stereochemistry of synthetic and biological peptide-based molecules displayed at surfaces.