Tuning the surface potential of gold substrates arbitrarily with self-assembled monolayers with mixed functional groups.
Alkanethiol anchored self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) on gold are widely used to immobilize and detect molecules including DNA and proteins. Most of these molecules are covalently bonded with the SAM on the Au surface and cannot be released easily. By using different functional groups, the interfacial charge of SAMs can be selected, and thus, they can be considered as adaptors for immobilizing and releasing materials selectively through electrostatic interaction under given conditions. In this work, as an additional factor to control the surface charge, SAMs with mixed functional groups are presented, and it is demonstrated that the isoelectric point (IEP) can be tailored by the ratio of functional groups. Using carboxylic acid- and amine-SAM on gold substrates as an example, isoelectric points (IEPs) from 3.5 to 6.5 can be obtained arbitrarily. The ratio between the functional groups on the surface was quantified by X-ray photoelectron spectrometry (XPS) and was found to be slightly different from the deposition solution. The homogeneous spatial distribution of the functional groups was determined with scanning electrical potential microscopy (SEPM). The interfacial charge of SAMs with mixed functional groups on gold was investigated by electrokinetic analysis in aqueous electrolyte solutions.
Lin
Wei-Chun
WC
Research Center for Applied Sciences, Academia Sinica, Taipei 115, Taiwan, Republic of China.
Lee
Szu-Hsian
SH
Karakachian
Manuel
M
Yu
Bang-Ying
BY
Chen
Ying-Yu
YY
Lin
Yu-Chin
YC
Kuo
Che-Hung
CH
Shyue
Jing-Jong
JJ
D000588:Amines / Q000737:chemistry; D002264:Carboxylic Acids / Q000737:chemistry; D006046:Gold / Q000737:chemistry*; D007526:Isoelectric Point; D049329:Nanostructures / Q000737:chemistry*; D055672:Static Electricity; D013499:Surface Properties
D000588:Amines; D002264:Carboxylic Acids; D006046:Gold