With the support of the Organic and Macromolecular Chemistry Program in the Chemistry Division, Professors Jeffrey Schwartz and Steven Bernasek of Princeton University and their collaborators will develop new methods for creating stable interfaces between organic materials and functional surfaces. This important area of research is of considerable current interest. In addition to contributing to a fundamental understanding of the surface chemistry of a variety of organic and inorganic materials, the research has the potential to enable new technologies based on interfaces with tailored properties. Using a newly discovered class of self-assembled monolayer organophosphonates (SAMPs), the researchers will continue to elucidate the surface organic chemistry of functional biomaterials and electronic materials with the goal of learning how to adapt discrete complex and SAMP procedures to impart desirable properties to target substrates. Specifically, the proposed research will (1) characterize the electronic structure of the doped interfacial phosphonate film species on indium tin oxide (ITO) and on oxide layers on silicon to better understand device behavior; (2) use structural motifs of SAMPs to nucleate growth of organic semiconductors in the context of thin-film transistor (TFT) development; (3) design ordered three-dimensional arrays of organics on TFT platforms and study device behavior based on them; (4) explore the surface chemistry of organic polymers of use as biomaterials, where functional groups of the polymer will be used to anchor property-altering substituents; and, (5) develop the fundamental surface science of doped silicon devices to prepare electrically addressable sensors for use in detecting whole cell or large molecule pathogens.
The Organic and Macromolecular Chemistry Program supports the research of Professors Jeffrey Schwartz and Steven Bernasek of Princeton University that has the potential to contribute to technology development in areas such as organic electronics, biomaterials and biosensors. The research offers an excellent opportunity for training students and the strong collaborations with research groups in Canada and Europe in electronics and biotechnology is another advantage for students. Graduate students working on the projects will be exposed to interdisciplinary research at the boundaries of chemistry, physics, biology, materials science and engineering.
