Molecular functionalization and bioelectronics: cooperation for the use of eletrogravimetric techniques to complement the eletromechanical studies of molecularly functinalized electrodes

• Grant number: 10/18738-8
• Support Opportunities: Research Grants - Visiting Researcher Grant - International
• Start date: April 01, 2011
• End date: April 12, 2011
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Biophysics - Biophysics of Processes and Systems
• Principal Investigator: Paulo Roberto Bueno
• Grantee: Paulo Roberto Bueno
• Visiting researcher: Jason Davis
• Visiting researcher institution: University of Oxford, England
• Host Institution: Instituto de Química (IQ). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Araraquara. Araraquara , SP, Brazil

Abstract

This Project has the main purpose to allow the visit Prof. Dr. Jason Davis, Physical & Theoretical Chemistry Laboratory & Chemistry Research Laboratory, University of Oxford - Oxford - England. Dr. Jason Davis is developing methods by which chemically-specific molecular coupling reactions can be initiated and controlled with nanometer resolution using scanning catalytically-active probes. The patterned surface created by this chemical (catalytic) lithography is analyzed by Scanning Probe Microscopy (both Atomic Force and Scanning Tunnelling), spectroscopic and fluorescence imaging methods. The ability to selectively engineer surface chemistry with this degree of resolution opens up the possibility that such produced nanostructures be used as templates for the construction of more complex (three-dimensional) molecular assemblies, of potential considerable application in polymer science, biotechnology, sensing and optoelectronics. To date, it has been possible to confine molecular coupling to sub-zeptomolar (a few tens of molecules) limits/linewidths. There is lot of possibilities with a cooperation with Dr. Jason Davis group and this project will support future developments of doctorate projects like FAPESP 2010/09310-4 and 2010/13089-1. Dr. Jason Davis is interested in cooperate with our laboratory to make electromechanical measurements on specific anion receptors, including those based on interlocked rotaxanes that are designed and self-assembled on both planar electrode surfaces (for electroanalytical detection) and metallic/semiconducting nanoparticle surfaces (fluorescence, plasmon and electroanalytical sensing). We hope this project could help on this direction. (AU)