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Nano-Scale Investigation of Structural and Electrical Properties of Self-Organized Thin Films of Phthalocyanines: A Progress towards New Photovoltaic MaterialKumaran, Niranjani January 2008 (has links)
Ongoing efforts to improve the efficiency of organic photovoltaic cells emphasize the significance of the architecture of molecular assemblies in thin films, at nanometer and micron length scales, to enhance both exciton diffusion and charge transport, in donor and acceptor layers. Controlled growth of molecules via self-assembly techniques presents new opportunities to develop nano-structured organic thin films for electronic devices. This thesis is focused on controlling the orientation of phthalocyanine molecular assemblies in thin films in order to demonstrate the impact of microscopic control of molecular order on electrical properties and organic solar cell device performance.The studies performed here provide insights into the self-assembling behavior, film morphology, nanoscale electrical conductivity, and photovoltaic properties of a disk-shaped peripherally substituted phthalocyanine (Pc) molecule possessing amide functional groups in the side chains. Amide functionality was integrated in the side chains of this phthalocyanine molecule with the purpose of increasing the intra-columnar interaction through formation of a hydrogen bonding network between molecules, and to guide columnar orientation in a preferred direction via specific surface-molecule interactions. It is realized that molecule-substrate interactions must dominate over molecule-molecule interactions to achieve control over the deposition of molecules in a preferred direction for organic solar cell applications. Microscopic imaging and spectroscopic studies confirm the formation of flat-lying, well ordered, layered phthalocyanine films as anticipated.The remarkable electrical conductivity of the flat-lying phthalocyanine molecules, as studied by Conducting tip Atomic Force Microscopy (C-AFM) provide the impetus for the formation of organic solar cells based on layers of these hydrogen bonding phthalocyanine molecules. The photocurrent from devices that are made with the ordered Pc molecules and disordered Pc molecules as the primary photoactive donor layer, and vacuum deposited C60 as the acceptor material, were evaluated. The results presented here demonstrate the feasibility of increasing the photogenerated current by controlling the molecular organization in the photo active layer.
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Self-assembly behavior in hydrophilic block copolymersValverde Serrano, Clara January 2011 (has links)
Block copolymers are receiving increasing attention in the literature. Reports on amphiphilic block copolymers have now established the basis of their self-assembly behavior: aggregate sizes, morphologies and stability can be explained from the absolute and relative block lengths, the nature of the blocks, the architecture and also solvent selectiveness. In water, self-assembly of amphiphilic block copolymers is assumed to be driven by the hydrophobic. The motivation of this thesis is to study the influence on the self-assembly in water of A b B type block copolymers (with A hydrophilic) of the variation of the hydrophilicity of B from non-soluble (hydrophobic) to totally soluble (hydrophilic).
Glucose-modified polybutadiene-block-poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) copolymers were prepared and their self-assembly behavior in water studied. The copolymers formed vesicles with an asymmetric membrane with a glycosylated exterior and poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) on the inside. Above the low critical solution temperature (LCST) of poly(N-isopropylacrylamide), the structure collapsed into micelles with a hydrophobic PNIPAM core and glycosylated exterior. This collapse was found to be reversible. As a result, the structures showed a temperature-dependent interaction with L-lectin proteins and were shown to be able to encapsulate organic molecules.
Several families of double hydrophilic block copolymers (DHBC) were prepared. The blocks of these copolymers were biopolymers or polymer chimeras used in aqueous two-phase partition systems. Copolymers based on dextran and poly(ethylene glycol) blocks were able to form aggregates in water. Dex6500-b-PEG5500 copolymer spontaneously formed vesicles with PEG as the “less hydrophilic” barrier and dextran as the solubilizing block. The aggregates were found to be insensitive to the polymer's architecture and concentration (in the dilute range) and only mildly sensitive to temperature. Variation of the block length, yielded different morphologies. A longer PEG chain seemed to promote more curved aggregates following the inverse trend usually observed in amphiphilic block copolymers. A shorter dextran promoted vesicular structures as usually observed for the amphiphilic counterparts. The linking function was shown to have an influence of the morphology but not on the self-assembly capability in itself. The vesicles formed by dex6500-b-PEG5500 showed slow kinetics of clustering in the presence of Con A lectin. In addition both dex6500-b-PEG5500 and its crosslinked derivative were able to encapsulate fluorescent dyes. Two additional dextran-based copolymers were synthesized, dextran-b-poly(vinyl alcohol) and dextran-b-poly(vinyl pyrrolidone). The study of their self-assembly allowed to conclude that aqueous two-phase systems (ATPS) is a valid source of inspiration to conceive DHBCs capable of self-assembling. In the second part the principle was extended to polypeptide systems with the synthesis of a poly(N-hydroxyethylglutamine)-block-poly(ethylene glycol) copolymer. The copolymer that had been previously reported to have emulsifying properties was able to form vesicles by direct dissolution of the solid in water. Last, a series of thermoresponsive copolymers were prepared, dextran-b-PNIPAMm. These polymers formed aggregates below the LCST. Their structure could not be unambiguously elucidated but seemed to correspond to vesicles. Above the LCST, the collapse of the PNIPAM chains induced the formation of stable objects of several hundreds of nanometers in radius that evolved with increasing temperature. The cooling of these solution below LCST restored the initial aggregates.
This self-assembly of DHBC outside any stimuli of pH, ionic strength, or temperature has only rarely been described in the literature. This work constituted the first formal attempt to frame the phenomenon. Two reasons were accounted for the self-assembly of such systems: incompatibility of the polymer pairs forming the two blocks (enthalpic) and a considerable solubility difference (enthalpic and entropic). The entropic contribution to the positive Gibbs free energy of mixing is believed to arise from the same loss of conformational entropy that is responsible for “the hydrophobic effect” but driven by a competition for water of the two blocks. In that sense this phenomenon should be described as the “hydrophilic effect”. / Blockcopolymere erfahren ein stetig wachsendes Interesse, was an der steigenden Anzahl an Publikationen zu diesem Thema erkennbar ist. Zahlreiche Studien zu amphiphilen Blockcopolymeren haben dabei einige grundlegende Erkenntnisse über deren chemisches und physikalisches Verhalten, vor allem über die Selbstorganisation, hervorgebracht. So können die Größe, die verschiedenen Morphologien und auch die Stabilität der gebildeten Aggregate anhand der relativen und absoluten Blocklängen, die chemischen Struktur der Blöcke, der molekularen Architektur und der Eigenschaften des verwendeten Lösungsmittel erklärt werden. Im speziellen Fall des Wassers als Lösungsmittel bist die Selbstorganisation amphiphiler Blockcopolymere durch den hydrophoben Effekt bedingt. Dieser Arbeit liegt das Interesse an der Selbstorganisation in wässrigem Medium von Blockcopolymeren des Typs A-b-B mit A als hydrophilem Block und B als Block mit variierender Hydrophilie bzw. Hydrophpobie von unlöslich bis vollständig löslich zugrunde. Durch Variation dieser Eigenschaften von Block B soll dessen Einfluss auf das Selbstorganisationsverhalten untersucht werden.
Dazu wurden mit Glucose modifizierte Polybutadien-block-Poly(N-Isopropylacrylamid)-Copolymere hergestellt und deren Selbstorganisation in Wasser untersucht. Die Copolymere bilden Vesikel mit einer asymmetrischen Membran, wobei im äußeren Bereich glycolysierte Gruppen und im inneren Bereich Poly(N-Isopropylacrylamid) (PNIPAM) vorliegen. Beim Überschreiten der low critical solution temperature (LCST) kollabiert die vesikuläre Struktur unter Bildung von Mizellen mit einem hydrophoben PNIPAM-Mizellinneren und nach außen gerichteten glycolysierten Blöcken. Diese strukturelle Umwandlung ist reversibel. Die Strukturen zeigten außerdem eine temperaturabhängige Wechselwirkung mit L-Lectin-Proteinen und die Möglichkeit zur Einkapselung organischer Moleküle konnte belegt werden.
Des weiteren wurden verschiedene Gruppen von Blockcopolymeren mit zwei hydrophilen Blöcken synthetisiert (double hydrophilic block copolymers – DHBC). Die Blöcke dieser Systeme waren entweder Biopolymere oder Polymerchimäre, die in wässrigen Zwei-Phasen-Trennverfahren eingesetzt werden. Polymere, die auf Dextran- und Poly(ethylenglycol)-Blöcken basieren, zeigen Aggregatbildung in wässriger Phase. Dex6500-b-PEG5500 bildet spontan Vesikel mit PEG als „weniger hydrophilem“ Bestandteil und Dextran als löslichem Block. Die Bildung dieser Vesikel zeigte keine Emfpindlichkeit gegenüber einer Veränderung der Polymerarchitektur und der Konzentration, und nur eine geringe Sensitivität gegenüber Temperaturänderungen. Veränderungen der Blocklängen dagegen beeinflussten die Selbstorganisation und führten zu unterschiedlichen Morphologien. Längere PEG-Blöcke bevorzugten dabei die Bildung eher gekrümmter Aggregate, entgegen dem Trend, der gewöhnlicherweise für amphiphile Blockcopolymere beobachtet wird. Die Verkürzung des Dextran-Blocks fördert die Ausbildung vesikulärer Strukturen, was dem Verhalten der amphiphilen Gegenspieler der DHBC-Systeme entspricht. Die funktionelle Gruppe zur Verbindung der beiden Blöcke hat zwar einen Einfluss auf die Morphologie der gebildeten Aggregate, nicht jedoch auf die eigentliche Fähigkeit der Systeme zur Selbstorganisation. Die Dex6500-b-PEG5500-Vesikel wiesen zudem eine langsame Bildungskinetik in Gegenwart von Con-A-Lectin auf. Des Weiteren waren sowohl Dex6500-b-PEG5500 als auch das quervernetzte Derivate dieses Copolymers in der Lage, Fluoreszenzfarbstoffe einzulagern. Um zu zeigen, dass wässrige Zwei-Phasen-Systeme (aqueous two phase systems – ATPS) eine belastbare Grundlage für die Untersuchung und Entwicklung selbstorganisierender DHBC-Systeme sind, wurden weitere Dextran-basierte Copolymere synthetsisiert: Dextran-b-Poly(vinylalokohol) und Detran-b-Poly(vinylpyrrolidon). In einem zweiten Teil dieser Arbeit wurde das zuvor erarbeitete Prinzip auf auf Polypeptidsysteme ausgeweitet. Dazu wurde ein Poly(N-Hydroxyethylglutamin)-block-Poly(ethylenglycol)-Copolymer hergestellt. Dieses Copolymer, dessen emulgierenden Eigenschaften bereits bekannt waren, wies unmittelbar nach Lösung des Feststoffes in Wasser Vesikelbildung auf. In einem dritten Teil der Studie wurden thermoresponsive Copolymere hergestellt und untersucht: Dextran-b-PNIPAMm. Unterhalb der LCST konnte die Bildung von Aggregaten nachgewiesen werden, deren Struktur nicht zweifelsfrei entschlüsselt werden konnte, wobei jedoch zahlreiche Hinweise auf eine vesikuläre Struktur hindeuten. Oberhalb der LCST wurde durch die Kollabierung der PNIPAM-Ketten die Bildung stabiler Strukturen mit Radien von mehreren hundert Nanometern induziert, deren weitere Entwicklung durch eine weitere Temperaturerhöhung gefördert werden konnte. Durch Rückkühlung in den Temperaturebereich unterhalb der LCST konnten die zuvor beobachteten Aggregate reversibel zurückgebildet werden.
Das Selbstorganisationsverhalten von DHBC, unabhängig vom Einfluss des pH-Werts, der Ionenstärke oder der Temperatur are bisher nur in sehr geringem Umfang Gegenstand wissenschaftlicher Veröffentlichungen. Diese Arbeit stellt damit den ersten umfassenden Beitrag zur systematischen Erarbeitung dieses Phänomens dar. Es konnten dabei zwei Ursachen für die beobachteten Selbstorganisationseffekte bestimmt werden: die Inkompatibilität der beiden Polymerblöcke (enthalpischer Effekt) und der Unterschied in deren Löslichkeit (enthalpische und entropische Effekte). Der entropische Beitrag zur positiven Gibbs’schen Freien Mischungsenergie wird dem selben Verlust konformativer Entropie zugeordnet, der auch für den hydrophoben Effekt verantwortlich ist, allerdings angetrieben durch einen Wettbewerb der beiden Polymerblöcke um das Wasser. In diesem Sinne kann man das beobachtete Phänomen als „hydrophilen Effekt“ bezeichnen.
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Characterization of the Self-Assembly of Pyrene-Labelled Macromolecules in WaterSiu, Howard Chun-Kui January 2010 (has links)
The self-assembly of several pyrene-labelled amphiphilic macromolecules in water was characterized by fluorescence. Information on their self-assembly was obtained by monitoring the level of pyrene aggregation in solution. A measure of the level of association was obtained by determining the fraction of aggregated pyrene of the labelled macromolecules from the global analysis of their monomer and excimer fluorescence decays. Global analysis limits the degrees of freedom of the analysis thus reducing the error on the parameters retrieved from the analysis. Extensive developments in the global analysis of the pyrene monomer and excimer decays enabled the first characterization of the molar absorbance coefficient of the pyrene aggregates formed by aqueous solutions of pyrene-labelled poly(N,N-dimethylacrylamide) (PyPDMA) and poly(ethylene oxide) (PyPEO). The molar absorbance coefficients of the pyrene aggregates determined for PyPDMA and PyPEO were both found to be broader and red-shifted compared to that of unaggregated pyrene. These results agree with observations found in the scientific literature made by using absorption and excitation fluorescence measurements. Attempts to determine the molar absorbance coefficient of pyrene-labelled hydrophobically-modified alkali-swellable emulsion (PyHASE) polymers were unsuccessful. The inability to characterize the pyrene aggregates of PyHASE was attributed to the greater complexity of the PyHASE polymer compared to PyPDMA and PyPEO. For these simpler pyrene-labelled polymers, a protocol has been established which uses the global analysis of the pyrene monomer and excimer decays to determine quantitatively the level of association of pyrene-labelled polymers as well as the molar absorbance coefficient of their aggregates.
Changes in the level of aggregation of pyrene-labelled lipids (PLLs) having head groups bearing an alcohol (PSOH) or imido diacetic acid (PSIDA) embedded in 1-palmitoyl-2-oleyl-3-sn-phosphatidylcholines (POPC) or distearylphosphatidylcholine (DSPC) liposomes were probed by fluorescence. Distribution of the PLLs in the fluid POPC membrane was found to be homogeneous while the PLLs phase-separated into amorphous channels created in the DSPC membranes. Multivalent cations Cu2+ and La3+ were found to bind to PSIDA, hindering diffusional encounters between unaggregated PSIDA but leaving the PLL aggregates intact. Using the fluorescence quenching ability of Cu2+, the viscosity of the amorphous channels of the DSPC membrane was determined to be about six times greater than that of the more fluid POPC membrane.
Simultaneous rheological and fluorescence measurements were achieved by interfacing a rheometer with time-resolved and steady-state fluorometers using fiber-optic cables. This joint set up enabled the simultaneous rheological and fluorescence measurements of PyHASE solutions having concentrations ranging from 0.5 w/w% to 5 w/w%. The level of association of the PyHASE solutions was tracked using fluorescence at shear rates of 0, 0.1 and 100 s–1. Despite the presence of shear thinning leading to viscosity drops of up to four orders of magnitude, no change in the fluorescence and hence the level of association was observed. The lack of change in level of association implied that the mechanism of shear thinning is due to a switching from inter- to intramolecular association rather than a drop in the level of association. This information will prove useful for future models attempting to predict the rheological behaviour of sheared associative polymers.
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Poly (squaramides): Synthesis, Anion Sensing, and Self-assemblyRostami, Ali 31 August 2012 (has links)
The focus of the research presented in this thesis is the design, synthesis, and anion recognition properties of a structurally novel class of poly(amides) that incorporates the diaminocyclobutenedione (squaramide) group into the polymer backbone.
In Chapter 1, a brief overview of different anion-responsive synthetic macromolecules is presented. Emphasis is placed on the wide structural diversity of the polymers, the mechanisms of their anion-induced responses, and features such as signal amplification, multivalency, and cooperative behavior that can be exploited productively in the context of anion recognition and sensing.
Chapter 2 describes a new method for the regioselective preparation of squaramides, using Lewis acid-catalyzed condensations of diethyl squarate and different anilines. Zinc trifluoromethanesulfonate promotes efficient condensations of anilines with squarate esters, providing access to symmetrical and unsymmetrical squaramides in high yields from readily available starting materials. Colorimetric anion-sensing behavior and computational studies illustrating the enhanced hydrogen bond donor ability and acidity of squaramides in comparison to ureas are presented.
In Chapter 3, the application of the synthetic method described above to the selective preparation of polysquaramides composed of 1,2-isomeric repeat units is described. The optical, thermal and aggregation properties of these materials are also discussed.
Finally, Chapter 4 describes self-assembly properties as well as applications of these materials in the area of anion recognition and sensing. Incorporating an anion-binding squaramide group into a polymeric architecture results in drastic alterations in the selectivity and magnitude of its anion-induced response, resulting in a sensitive and discriminating turn-on fluorescence sensor for dihydrogenphosphate ions. This unusual behavior is the result of a cooperative, anion-triggered aggregation process that was further probed by dynamic light scattering (DLS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and laser confocal microscopy.
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Poly (squaramides): Synthesis, Anion Sensing, and Self-assemblyRostami, Ali 31 August 2012 (has links)
The focus of the research presented in this thesis is the design, synthesis, and anion recognition properties of a structurally novel class of poly(amides) that incorporates the diaminocyclobutenedione (squaramide) group into the polymer backbone.
In Chapter 1, a brief overview of different anion-responsive synthetic macromolecules is presented. Emphasis is placed on the wide structural diversity of the polymers, the mechanisms of their anion-induced responses, and features such as signal amplification, multivalency, and cooperative behavior that can be exploited productively in the context of anion recognition and sensing.
Chapter 2 describes a new method for the regioselective preparation of squaramides, using Lewis acid-catalyzed condensations of diethyl squarate and different anilines. Zinc trifluoromethanesulfonate promotes efficient condensations of anilines with squarate esters, providing access to symmetrical and unsymmetrical squaramides in high yields from readily available starting materials. Colorimetric anion-sensing behavior and computational studies illustrating the enhanced hydrogen bond donor ability and acidity of squaramides in comparison to ureas are presented.
In Chapter 3, the application of the synthetic method described above to the selective preparation of polysquaramides composed of 1,2-isomeric repeat units is described. The optical, thermal and aggregation properties of these materials are also discussed.
Finally, Chapter 4 describes self-assembly properties as well as applications of these materials in the area of anion recognition and sensing. Incorporating an anion-binding squaramide group into a polymeric architecture results in drastic alterations in the selectivity and magnitude of its anion-induced response, resulting in a sensitive and discriminating turn-on fluorescence sensor for dihydrogenphosphate ions. This unusual behavior is the result of a cooperative, anion-triggered aggregation process that was further probed by dynamic light scattering (DLS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and laser confocal microscopy.
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Novel Hydrogen Bonding Organocatalysts: Applications in the aza-Morita-Baylis-Hillman Reaction and Anion SensingDiep, Jenny 22 November 2013 (has links)
Self-assembly is an efficient method for generating large numbers of structurally diverse catalysts for screening. In this work, the method of self-assembly was explored in the construction of bifunctional catalysts, from a chiral aminophosphine, 2-formylphenylboronic acid, and a (thio)urea-containing diol. These catalysts were evaluated by their effect on the asymmetric aza-Morita-Baylis-Hillman reaction. In the second half of this thesis, the hydrogen bonding abilities of different dithiosquaramides were analyzed. As thioureas have been shown to be stronger hydrogen bond donors than ureas, it was hypothesized that dithiosquaramides may also follow a similar trend. Affinities of corresponding squaramides and dithiosquaramides to chloride, sulfate, and tosylate were compared, as well as their abilities to catalyze the Freidel-Crafts alkylation between indole and trans-β-nitrostyrene.
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Colloidal Manipulation of Nanostructures: Stable Dispersion and Self-assemblySun, Dazhi 16 December 2013 (has links)
This dissertation work addresses two important aspects of nanotechnology -
stable dispersion and self-assembly of colloidal nanostructures. Three distinctly
different types of nano-scaled materials have been studied: 0-dimensional ZnO quantum
dots (QDs), 1-dimensional carbon nanotubes (CNTs), and 2-dimensional alpha-zirconium
phosphate (ZrP) nanoplatelets. Specifically, highly crystalline ZrP layered compounds
with differences in diameters have been synthesized and fully exfoliated into monolayer
platelets with uniform thickness, followed by their self-assembly into liquid crystalline
structures, i.e., nematic and smectic. A novel colloidal approach to debundle and
disperse CNTs has been developed by utilizing nanoplatelets to gather and concentrate
sonication energy onto nanotube bundles. In such a fashion, CNTs are fully exfoliated
into individual tubes through physical means to preserve their exceptional physical
properties. Moreover, monodisperse ZnO QDs with high purity have been synthesized
through a simple colloidal approach. Exfoliated ZrP nanoplatelets are used to tune the
dispersion of ligand-free ZnO QDs from micron-sized aggregates to an individual QD level depending on the ratio between nanoplatelets and QDs. Dynamic analysis suggests
that the dispersion mechanism mainly involves the change of QD dispersion free energy
due to the presence of nanoplatelets, so that QDs can interact favorably with the
surrounding media. In addition, the nanoplatelet-assisted dispersion approach has been
utilized to disperse QDs and CNTs into polymeric matrices. Dispersion - property
relationship in polymer nanocomposites has been systematically investigated with
emphasis on optical properties for QDs and mechanical properties for CNTs.
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Self-assembly Drives the Control of the SPOP Cullin–Ring LigaseErrington, Wesley James 09 January 2014 (has links)
The covalent modification of proteins with a suite of molecular tags, a process termed post-translational modification, is a powerful means to enhance the proteomic complexity of an organism far beyond that which is directly encoded by its genome. A particularly widespread form of modification involves the conjugation of the protein ubiquitin to specified substrates, which serves to regulate numerous cellular processes. The mechanism of ubiquitin conjugation, known as ubiquitylation, requires E3 ubiquitin ligases that specify and recruit substrate proteins for ubiquitin conjugation. Recent insights into the mechanisms of ubiquitylation demonstrate that E3 ligases can possess active regulatory properties beyond those of a simple assembly scaffold.
This thesis describes the dimeric structure of the E3 ligase adaptor protein SPOP in complex with the N-terminal domain of Cul3 at 2.4 Å resolution. Here, it is demonstrated that SPOP forms large oligomers that can form heteromeric species with the closely related paralog SPOPL. In combination, SPOP and SPOPL form a molecular rheostat that can fine-tune E3 ubiquitin ligase activity by affecting the oligomeric state of the E3 complex. These results reveal a mechanism through which adaptor protein self-assembly may provide a graded level of regulation of the SPOP/Cul3 E3 ligase toward its multiple protein substrates.
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Self-assembly Drives the Control of the SPOP Cullin–Ring LigaseErrington, Wesley James 09 January 2014 (has links)
The covalent modification of proteins with a suite of molecular tags, a process termed post-translational modification, is a powerful means to enhance the proteomic complexity of an organism far beyond that which is directly encoded by its genome. A particularly widespread form of modification involves the conjugation of the protein ubiquitin to specified substrates, which serves to regulate numerous cellular processes. The mechanism of ubiquitin conjugation, known as ubiquitylation, requires E3 ubiquitin ligases that specify and recruit substrate proteins for ubiquitin conjugation. Recent insights into the mechanisms of ubiquitylation demonstrate that E3 ligases can possess active regulatory properties beyond those of a simple assembly scaffold.
This thesis describes the dimeric structure of the E3 ligase adaptor protein SPOP in complex with the N-terminal domain of Cul3 at 2.4 Å resolution. Here, it is demonstrated that SPOP forms large oligomers that can form heteromeric species with the closely related paralog SPOPL. In combination, SPOP and SPOPL form a molecular rheostat that can fine-tune E3 ubiquitin ligase activity by affecting the oligomeric state of the E3 complex. These results reveal a mechanism through which adaptor protein self-assembly may provide a graded level of regulation of the SPOP/Cul3 E3 ligase toward its multiple protein substrates.
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Electrochemically directed self-assembly and conjugated polymer semiconductors for organic electronic applicationsPillai, Rajesh Gopalakrishna 13 October 2010 (has links)
The research work presented in this thesis investigates the mechanistic details of conventional as well as electrochemically directed self-assembly of alkylthiosulfates and explores the use of conjugated semiconducting polymers for organic electronic applications. Here, the significance of the use of conjugated polymers is twofold; first, to explore their applications in nanoelectronics and second, the possibility of using them as a top contact on the self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) for molecular electronic applications. Throughout this work, deposition of the organic materials was performed on prefabricated device structures that required no further lithographic or metal deposition steps after modification of the electrodes with the organic molecules.
Self-assembly of alkylthiosulfates on gold are reported to form monolayers identical to those formed from the corresponding alkanethiols. However, these self-assembly processes follow more complex mechanisms of monolayer formation than originally recognized. Studies on the mechanism of alkylthiosulfate chemisorption on gold shows that the self-assembly process is influenced by electrolyte and solvent. Plausible mechanisms have been proposed for the role of trace water in the solvent on conventional as well as electrochemically assisted self-assembly of alkylthiosulfates on gold. Electroanalytical and spectroscopic techniques have been used to explore the mechanistic details of electrochemically directed self-assembly of alkylthiosulfates on gold. It has been found that the self-assembly process is dynamic under electrochemical conditions and the heterogeneous electron transfer process between the organosulfur compound and gold is mediated through gold surface oxide and accompanied by corrosion.
Conducting polymers are serious candidates for organic electronic applications since their properties can be controlled by the manipulation of molecular architecture. Unique electronic properties of conjugated polypyrrole hybrid materials (PPy0DBS-Li+) with immobile dopant anions and mobile cations have been observed and explained on the basis of movement of the cations in an applied electric field. Based on this principle, functioning polymer resistive memory devices have been demonstrated which can be scalable to lower dimensions for nanoelectronics applications. Finally, proof of concept for using a conducting polymer as a top contact in molecular electronic devices created using electrochemically directed self-assembly is demonstrated.
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