Two-dimensional metal nanoparticle arrays are essential components in a variety of optoelectronic devices, such as catalysts, sensors, and memory storage units. Controlling the precise arrangement of nanoparticles in two dimensions is critical to achieving specific properties of these devices. The self-assembly of nanoparticles at fluid interfaces is a simple and inexpensive strategy for fabricating large-scale two-dimensional arrays, but controlling the precise spacing between the nanoparticles using this method is challenging. In the Robertson Lab, our goal is to develop a generalizable strategy to control the patterning of functionalized gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) at fluid interfaces using engineerable peptoid monolayers as templates for assembly. Peptoids are sequence-specific peptidomimetics that can be precisely engineered to assemble into solid-like monolayers at fluid interfaces. The hydrophobic and hydrophilic functional groups of the amphiphilic peptoid structure can be tuned to optimally interact with and crosslink to specific nanoparticle ligands of interest. We aim to discover peptoid and nanoparticle combinations in which the interactions between the peptoid functional groups and the nanoparticle ligands lead to highly ordered and stable two-dimensional nanoparticle arrays at fluid surfaces. Our ultimate goal is to test these nanoparticle arrays as functional surface enhanced Raman scattering sensors for environmental pollutants.
CHM 101 Introductory Chemistry 1
CHM 110H Introductory Chemistry
CHM 351 Kinetics and Thermodynamics
CHM 352 Quantum Chemistry
CHM 354 Chemical Applications of Group Theory
“Peptoid Mediated Assembly of Gold Nanoparticles at Fluid Interfaces,” Community Foundation for the Greater Capital Region’s Bender Scientific Fund, April 2019, Funded at $12,278.
