Colloidochromism: Optical Measurement of Surface Electrostatic Potential

在这个由化学系实验物理化学计划资助的项目中，北卡罗来纳州立大学的斯特凡·弗兰岑教授将进行一项研究计划，开发并使用一组分子作为探针，以研究纳米粒子在溶液中和以DNA寡核苷酸为结构支架的有序结构中的环境。纳米粒子的静电环境会导致探针分子的光谱带发生移动。这些位移反过来又是纳米颗粒表面电场的指示器。基于这一现象的方法称为胶体变色法。这项拟议的工作需要创建适当制备的纳米颗粒来调节表面电位，以及开发用作探针的新分子。这些体系的胶体变色性将被研究。此外，还将制备纯化的DNA纳米颗粒二聚体，并进行类似的研究。这项工作的结果在利用DNA自组装纳米颗粒方面具有应用价值。这项研究将与波兰的一位合作同事一起进行。学生将参与这项研究。

In this project, funded by the Experimental Physical Chemistry Program of the Chemistry Division, Prof. Stefan Franzen of the North Carolina State University will conduct a research program to develop and use a set of molecules as probes of the environment of nanoparticles in solution and in ordered structures using DNA oligonucleotides as the structural scaffold. The electrostatic environment of nanoparticles causes shifts of the optical bands of the probe molecules. These shifts in turn serve as indicators of the surface electric field of the nanoparticles. The method based on this phenomenon is called colloidochromism. The proposed work entails the creation of nanoparticles suitably prepared to modulate the surface potential, as well as the development of new molecules to serve as probes. The colloidochromism of these systems will be investigated. In addition, purified DNA-nanoparticle dimers will be prepared and similarly studied. The results of this work has applications to the self-assembly of nanoparticles using DNA. This research will be conducted with a collaborating colleague in Poland. Students will participate in this research.