Surface
Functionalisation by Organic and Biological Compounds
The term of “Surface
Functionalisation” denotes a controlled modification of a solid surface in
order to make it suitable for performing specialised tasks, such as, for
example: catalysis, chemical sensing or information processing and storage.
A large variety of experimental methods are available for performing surface
functionalization, from adsorption and coating by solvent evaporation, to
covalent binding and formation of highly structured surface layer by the
process of self-assembly.
As a scientific field, the topic of Surface Functionalisation
belongs to the more general area of Functional Materials and have strong
connection to Nano-technology, as far as a surface modified at the nanometer
scale can be adapted to build up storage of information devices or arrays of
chemical sensors.
A group formed of Prof. Torbjorn
Ljones and Drs. Vassilia Partali, F. G. Banica and Ana Ion started up research work in this field and got
promising results with gold surface modification by synthetic organic compounds
or proteins.
Gold surface is of a particularly interest in this context, because it enables
direct communication between the chemical system and a microelectronics
component (such as the field effect transistor), a piezoelectric device or an
optical detection units (by means surface plasma resonance).
A research project in this field will be an excellent opportunity to reinforce
scientific co-operation with the Department of Physics at this Faculty. This
Department is well equipped for investigations in Surface Physics and Advanced
Optical Spectrometry.
Goals of the project:
1. To develop competence in an interdisciplinary field
encompassing Biological Chemistry, Surface Science, Organic Chemistry and and
Electrochemistry.
2. To use sulfur (or selenium) substituted organic compounds that are suitable
to perform gold surface modification aiming at two goals:
a. The modifier should serve as an anchor for covalent
binding of metalloenzymes;
b The modifier (a plyconjugated compound) will be assessed for potential
applications as “molecular wire” (i.e. it is able to function as an electricity
conductor)
3. To assess the possibility of direct communication between metalloproteins
and electrical devices by means of electron transfer reactions involving the
metal centres in the protein
4. This area of research can merge in the future with a possible project in
protein and cell adhesion, which would be of a particularly relevance to
biomedical science, biotechnology and food technology.
5.Modelling of biological membranes is another area
that maybe further approached in conjunction to the research work in the field
of surface functionalization
Research facilities: