Enhanced chemi-mechanical transduction at nanostructured interfaces

Nickolay V. Lavrik, Christopher A. Tipple, Michael J. Sepaniak, Panos G. Datskos

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

67 Scopus citations

Abstract

Interfacial molecular recognition processes can be converted into mechanical responses via modulation of surface stress. We demonstrate dramatic enhancement in this transduction when quasi 3-D interfaces with nano-size features are used. Microcantelever surfaces are modified with gold nanospheres or granular films and functionalized with macrocycle cavity and receptors. Deflections of these nanostructured cantilevers in response to vapor phase hydrocarbons are two orders of magnitude larger than with conventional smooth surfaces. Such a significant enhancements of surface stress changes resulting from intermolecular interactions at vapor- and liquid-solid interfaces offer an attractive means to develop novel nano-mechanical devices that respond directly and sensitively to chemical stimuli.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)371-376
Number of pages6
JournalChemical Physics Letters
Volume336
Issue number5-6
DOIs
StatePublished - Mar 23 2001
Externally publishedYes

Funding

This work was supported by the US Department of Energy, Environmental Management Program under grant DOE DE-FG07-98ER62718, DOE Basic Energy Sciences under grant DE-FG02-96ER14609 and by National Science Foundation under Grant CHE-9320461. The authors gratefully acknowledge James Corbeil for the help with AFM imaging, Dr. Thomas Green for synthesizing the HM-β-CD, and Dr. James Chambers and Adam Mullenix for help with the electrochemical experiments.

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