Single-molecule probing of adsorption and diffusion on silica surfaces.
Single-molecule spectroscopy has emerged as a valuable tool in probing kinetics and dynamic equilibria in adsorption because advances in instrumentation and technology have enabled researchers to obtain high signal-to-noise ratios for common dyes at room temperature. Single-molecule spectroscopy was applied to the study of an important problem in chromatography: peak broadening and asymmetry in the chromatograms of pharmaceuticals, peptides, and proteins. Using DiI, a cationic dye that exhibits the same problematic chromatographic behavior, investigators showed that the adsorption sites that cause chromatographic problems are located at defects on the silica crystal surface.
Wirth
Mary J
MJ
Department of Chemistry, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona 85721, USA. mwirth@email.arizona.edu
Legg
Michael A
MA