Electrochemically Directed Self-Assembly of Monolayer Films

在这项由分析和表面化学计划支持的研究中，弗格森教授和他的团队将研究和探索在金表面选择性放置单层膜的新方法。 单分子膜在金和其他基底上的自组装为表面改性提供了一种方便快捷的方法，该方法可用于从生物学到电气工程的各种领域。 然而，该方法的设施掩盖了一个重要的限制-当存在多于一个可能的基底时，难以控制单层形成的位置。 这些研究人员将不再依靠自发反应形成单分子膜，而是利用电化学来指导自组装，从而显著提高空间和化学控制的水平，在这个广泛使用的过程中，这项研究的影响应该是广泛和重要的，因为它试图扩展自组装单分子膜（SAMs）在科学和技术中的实际用途。 例如，这些研究的结果在正在进行的新兴技术的开发和改进中应该是有价值的，化学多样性传感器阵列（即，“Enoses”和“ETongues”）。 这种阵列传感器已经吸引了越来越多的关注，特别是鉴于我们国家最近对国土安全的关注。 然而，这一领域的一个关键挑战是在相邻的微电极上制备不同的涂层。 通过使用电势来控制潜在吸附物和电极表面之间的反应性，这些研究旨在利用与自组装相容的化学结构的丰富性，并在这样的电极阵列中提供前所未有的化学多样性水平。该项目将通过开发跨学科的化学/电气工程本科实验室来整合研究和教育。 电气工程专业的学生将制作一个设备，化学专业的学生将准备和分析设备中金金属化的单层，两组都将参与测量和分析设备的性能。

In this research supported by the Analytical and Surface Chemistry Program, Professor Ferguson and his group will examine and explore new methods for the selective placement of monolayer films on gold surfaces. Self-assembly of monolayers on gold and other substrates has provided a convenient and facile method for surface modification that is useful in a variety of fields, ranging from biology to electrical engineering. The facility of the method, however, belies an important limitation -difficulty in controlling the location of monolayer formation when more than one possible substrates present. Instead of relying on spontaneous reactions to form monolayers, these researchers will use electrochemistry to direct the self-assembly, thereby significantly increasing the level of spatial and chemical control in this widely used process.The impact of this research should be broad and significant because it seeks to extend the substantial current usefulness of self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) in science and technology. For example, the results of these studies should be valuable in the on-going development and refinement of an emerging technology, chemically diverse sensor arrays (i.e., "ENoses" and "ETongues"). Such array sensors have attracted increasing attention, especially in light of our nation's recent focus on homeland security. A key challenge in this area, however, has been the preparation of different coatings on neighboring microelectrodes. By using electrical potential to control the reactivity between a potential adsorbate and an electrode surface, these studies aim to harness richness of chemical structure compatible with self-assembly and provide an unprecedented level of chemical diversity in such electrode arrays. The project will integrate research and education by development of a cross-discipline Chemistry/Electrical Engineering undergraduate laboratory. Electrical Engineering students will fabricate a device, Chemistry students will prepare and analyze monolayers on gold metallization in the device, and both groups will participate in measuring and analyzing the performance of the device.