Actively Controlled Transport with Molecular Assemblies

在这项由分析和表面化学计划支持的研究中，目标是了解波动的化学平衡在纳米结构化学传感器的信号产生中所起的作用；并利用这一理解开发新的化学传感和制造刺激响应结构的电化学途径。纳米结构的一个关键特征是平衡时反应物和产物种群的波动所起的作用--只有当参与反应的分子数量很少时，这种波动才显着。这个项目解决了这些化学反应的基本问题，首先开发了强大的制造方法来生产原子尺度的结(ASJ)--几个原子宽的金属线。然后，ASJ被用于研究电子给体分子的波动吸附和解吸，以及可用于化学传感或将纳米级图案模板化为超分子结构的电化学过程。该项目的更广泛影响将主要通过人力资源开发来感受。正在进行的活动，如皮特康的初级教师讲习班和克拉克亚特兰大大学的暑期方案，将继续进行。此外，作为该项目的一部分，将为研究生开发大量的国际经验。这些学生将与爱尔兰科克廷德尔国家研究所(Tyndall National Institute，TNI)生命科学界面小组的成员合作，每年将在Tyndall National Institute(TNI)呆上30天。拟议的国际部分的成功将取决于共同编写的会议发言和同行审查出版物的数量、如何有效地利用种子资金为两个实验室之间的后续联合努力获得资金以及通过离职面谈。

In this research supported by the Analytical and Surface Chemistry Program, the goals are to understand the role played by fluctuating chemical equilibrium in developing signals at nanostructured chemical sensors; and to use this understanding to develop new electrochemical routes to chemical sensing and to fabricating stimulus-responsive structures. A key characteristic of nanostructures is the role played by fluctuations in populations of reactants and products at equilibrium - fluctuations that are significant only when the number of molecules participating in the reaction is small. This project addresses these fundamental issues of chemical reactivity by first developing robust fabrication methods to produce atom-scale junctions (ASJs) - metallic wires a few atoms wide. Then, the ASJs are used to study fluctuating adsorption and desorption of electron donor molecules and electrochemical processes that can be used either for chemical sensing or to template nanoscale patterns into supermolecular architectures.The broader impact of the project will be felt principally through human resource development. Ongoing activities such as the Beginning Faculty Workshop at PittCon and the Summer Program at Clark Atlanta University will be continued. In addition, a substantial international experience for graduate students will be developed as part of the project. The students will collaborate with members of the Life Sciences Interface group at the Tyndall National Institute (TNI) in Cork, Ireland and will spend up to 30 days each year at the TNI. The success of the proposed international component will be judged by the number of jointly authored conference presentations and peer-reviewed publications, how effectively the seed funding is leveraged to obtain funding for follow-on joint efforts between the two labs and by exit interviews.