Interfacial phenomena: chemical selectivity at a self-assembled surface

COLL 68

Vinay K. Gupta, Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, Box C-3, 600 S. Matthews Avenue, MC #712, Urbana, IL 61801
Interfacial phenomena dominate nanoscience and nanotechnology. Examples of these phenomena include molecular interactions at interfaces within chemical or biological systems, the behavior of complex fluids confined to an interface or between surfaces, and nanostructures built by self-assembly. One of the central questions faced in the studies of interfacial phenomena at the nanoscale is the impact of the interplay between molecular structure, forces, and organization. In the presentation we will focus on this interplay and discuss its role in the chemical selectivity of a self-assembled monolayer of a macrocyclic cavitand, calix[4]resorcinarene. The macrocyclic hosts possess a bowl-shaped, molecular-sized cavity and permit discrimination between chemical species based on their structure and shape at the self-assembled interface. Recognition of guest adsorbates probed with surface plasmon resonance and polarization modulation infrared absorption spectroscopy will be shown. Recent results on ionization of the macrocyclic hosts, binding of metal ions, and formation of multilayers will also be presented.