NANOSCALE: Creating Nanoscale Molecular Imprints Using 2-D Monolayer Templating

University Of Utah, Salt Lake City UT

Investigators

Abstract

The overall goal of the proposed research is to create surfaces with a custom, nanoscale-imprinted 2-D structure-function relationship. We propose to template 2-D chemical and charge patterns onto Langmuir monolayers at the air/water interface using large protein or non-enveloped virus particles adsorbed from the aqueous subphase. We propose to preserve thus created patterns by 2-D cross-linking and/or transfer of the monolayer to a suitable solid substrate. Furthermore, we propose to test the transferred film for the imprinted memory effect by measuring its specificity towards binding of the original templating species. The specific aims of the research are to show that: (1) lateral reorganization in a multi-component monolayer is induced locally by binding of a protein or viral particles from the solution subphase onto the monolayer, (2) induced local molecular imprints can be preserved by 2-D cross-linking and/or transfer of the monolayer to a solid substrate, and (3) molecular imprints can be (re-)used for specific recognition of the original templating particle. The proposed research will provide a physical picture of the processes responsible for template induction, preservation, and specificity through direct, quantitative analysis of local template structure and template affinity distribution. The formation of adsorbate-specific patterns, or imprints, in monolayers opens the possibility to control the material surface design and prepare functional nanosystems that will, when placed in a new biological environment, preferentially interact with the original templating species.