Reactive self-assembled monolayers: from surface functionalization to gradient formation

Abstract

This review describes the progress of the development of surface chemical reactions for the modification of self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) and the fabrication of surface chemical gradients. Various chemical reactions can be carried out on SAMs to introduce new functionalities. "Click" reactions, which are highly efficient and selective, have largely contributed to the development and implementation of surface chemical reactions in the fields of biotechnology, drug discovery, materials science, polymer synthesis, and surface science. Besides full homogeneous functionalization, SAMs can be modified to exhibit a gradual variation of physicochemical properties in space. Surface-confined chemical reactions can be used for the fabrication of surface chemical gradients making the preparation of exceptionally versatile interfaces accessible.

Plasmonic hot electron transport drives nano-localized chemistry

“…1). The ability to have highly localized differential chemical reactivity on the nanoantenna's surface can be further used to guide molecules, proteins and other nanomaterials (that is, catalytic NPs) to specific regions of the nanoantenna46. For instance, small catalytic particles, which by themselves do not have a significant far-field cross-section, can be incorporated to larger size structures that possess higher electric dipole moments to perform as nanoantennas4748.…”

Switch-like surface binding of competing multivalent particles

“…Recent experimental progress on the development of self-assembled monolayers having chemical gradients is promising [21], as these would serve as ideal substrates for performing the chromatography. DNA dendrimers [22] present an opportunity to experimentally study surface switching behaviour in a controlled fashion, given the ability to synthesize dendrimers with specific valency and ligand interaction energy.…”

Improving the Performance of Organic Thin‐Film Transistors by Ion Doping of Ethylene‐Glycol‐Based Self‐Assembled Monolayer Hybrid Dielectrics

“…However, some molecules exhibit the potential of post-self-assembly modifi cation due to certain binding or reaction motifs. [ 6 ] Examples are molecules consisting of oligo-ethylene-glycol (OEG) chains, well-known as promoter surfaces for protein adsorption. [ 7 ] Moreover, OEG monolayers provide a very suited environment to coordinate cations by oxygen atoms.…”