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Colloquium
Thursday, October 08, 2009, 12:15 p.m., SCIC 126
Experimental molecular dynamics within self-assembled monolayers
Dr. Laura I.
Clarke
North Carolina
State University
Abstract:
Self-assembled monolayers (SAMs)
are a ubiquitous tool in research and have current or proposed uses in many
technological areas, including nanoparticle stabilization, commercial
chromatography, and surface modification of biomaterials. However, despite
their wide-spread use, few experimental investigations have addressed
molecular motion within such films, due to the intrinsically small signal
generated by a monolayer of molecules. Such molecular motion affects
important monolayer properties like permeability. In this talk, I'll
discuss our experimental studies of molecular dynamics within SAMs using cryogenic, surface-specific, highly
sensitive dielectric spectroscopy and the connection between this work and
fundamental science, such as dipolar and physical glass transitions in a
quasi-two-dimensional environment. I'll focus on dynamics within alkylsiloxane monolayers and
discuss changes in molecular motion as a function of molecule type,
density, film preparation technique, and thermal annealing.
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