DNA-hexadecyltrimethyl ammonium chloride complex with enhanced thermostability as promising electronic and optoelectronic material

Abstract

Recently DNA with hexadecyltrimethyl ammonium chloride (CTMA) complex has been included in some organic electronic devices. Thermal stability is one of key parameters required for successful applications in different electronic and optoelectronic devices. This work shows a possibility of enhancing thermal stability in this complexes and analyzes origin of this enhancement. Different techniques were applied to explore this issue of solid DNA-CTMA. Results of TGA analysis, DSC calorimetry, FTIR spectroscopy, and analysis of evolved gaseous products convince that chemical composition of DNA-CTMA complex remains fixed at temperatures \200-220°C. In contrast, broadband dielectric spectroscopy applied to freshly prepared thin films of DNA-CTMA revealed at 150-160°C a permanent and irreversible change of dielectric properties. This phenomenon may be attributed to a transformation affecting the microstructure. Some experiments were conducted also for the native DNA as a reference. We demonstrate that DNA-CTMA complex chemical composition is more stable at temperatures about 200°C with respect to DNA which is very important for laser operated optoelectronic applications.

A DNA and Self-Doped Conjugated Polyelectrolyte Assembled for Organic Optoelectronics and Bioelectronics

“…Figure 3a,b shows DSC data for samples of DNA and PEDOT-S. DNA and PEDOT-S display a maximum heat absorption at 106.9 °C (DNA) and 97.2 °C (PEDOT-S) and then a major decomposition at ∼230 °C (DNA) and at ∼330 °C (PEDOT-S) (see Figure 3a). The initial heat absorption for both DNA and PEDOT-S stems from water molecules adsorbed by the hygroscopic polyelectrolytes, DNA and PEDOT-S. 49 Recall that the maximum peak in Figure 3a is ≈100 °C, that is, the boiling point of water at 1 atm. TGA data in Figure 3b document the thermal conversion.…”

Kinetics and Mechanism of In Situ Metallization of Bulk DNA Films

“…The fitted values of and with respect to irradiation time are shown in Fig. 4 f. The signal at the low frequency is relevant for the conductivity of the composite, which is directly correlated to the growth of Ag NPs, whereas the signal at the high frequency is associated with the segmental relaxation behaviors of DNA-CTMA [ 44 , 45 ], which is affected by the presence of surrounding Ag NP and Ag ions [ 46 , 47 ]. As the irradiation time increases, the concentration of Ag ions gradually decreases as they are used up for the formation of Ag NPs.…”

Thermal degradation of biological DNA studied by dielectric spectroscopy

“…The first one, below 100 � C, the second between 100 � C and 150 � C, the third between 150 � C and 220 � C and the last one is located above 220 � C. These ranges may vary, depending on experimental conditions. At temperatures inferior to 220 � C, the gas released by the heated DNA, is only water vapour [22]. Intuitively it can be assumed, that loosely bound water is removed in the first region, the tightly bound water in the second one, while nothing particular happens in the third region.…”

“…An example of TGA thermogram of DNA powder. The mass loss curve refers to the left axis, while its derivative, DTG to the right axis (adapted from[22]). …”