title: Surfaces designed for charge reversal.
abstract: We have created surfaces which switch from cationic at pH < 3 to anionic at pH > 5, by attaching aminodicarboxylic acid units to silica and gold substrates. Charge reversal was demonstrated by monitoring the adsorption of cationic dyes (methylene blue and a tetracationic porphyrin) and an anionic sulfonated porphyrin, at a range of pH using UV-vis absorption and reflection spectroscopy. The cationic dyes bind under neutral conditions (pH 5-7) and are released at pH 1-4, whereas the anionic dye binds under acidic conditions (pH 1-4) and is released at pH 5-7. Gold surfaces were functionalized with two different amphoteric disulfides with short (CH(2))(2) and long (CH(2))(10)CONH(CH(2))(6) linkers; the longer disulfide gave surfaces exhibiting charge reversal in a narrower pH range. Adsorption is much faster on the functionalized gold (t(1/2) = 62 s) than on functionalized silica (t(1/2) = 6900 s), but the final extents of coverage on both surface are similar, for a given dye at a given pH, with maximal coverages of around 2 molecules nm(-)(2). These charge-reversal processes are reversible and can be repeatedly cycled by changing the pH. We have also created surfaces which undergo irreversible proton-triggered charge switching, using a carbamate-linked thiol carboxylic acid which cleaves in acid. These surfaces are versatile new tools for controlling electrostatic self-assembly at surfaces.
authors.affiliation: Contribution from the Department of Chemistry, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3QY, UK. harry.anderson@chemistry.ox.ac.uk
authors.forename: James R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Matthews
authors.forename: Dönüs
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Tuncel
authors.forename: Robert M J
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Jacobs
authors.forename: Colin D
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Bain
authors.forename: Harry L
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Anderson