Polymere Nanostrukturen aus funktionalen synthetischen und biologischen Makromolekülen wurden an Grenzflächen und in dünnen Filmen selbstorganisiert, und dann mit Hilfe von Rasterkraftmikroskopie (SFM) - Techniken erforscht, um ein Verständnis auf molekularer Ebene zu entwickeln, das es erlaubt, ihre Eigenschaften kontrolliert einzustellen. Eine weit verbreitetes Polymer für die organische Elektronik, Poly(3-hexylthiophen), wurde in dünnen Filmen untersucht, um den Einfluß des Molekulargewichts auf die Ausbildung molekularer Nanostrukturen und die Korrelation mit den entsprechenden Transistor Eigenschaften und Ladungsträger-Beweglichkeiten zu bestimmen. Auf der Ebene einzelner Makromolekülen wurden dendronisierte Polymere untersucht. Zum ersten Mal wurde über die spontane Faltung einzelner synthetischer Polymerketten berichtet. Darüber hinaus ist es gelungen, seltene einzelne Polymertopologien wie z.B. Kettenverzweigung nachzuweisen, die nicht durch andere Methode nachweisbar sind. Die Komplexierung von doppelsträngiger-DNA (ds-DNA) mit amphiphilen kleinen Molekülen erlaubt es, makromolekulare Konformationen durch eine Molekulare Werkbank zu kontrollieren, die wesentlich in der vorliegenden Arbeit entwickelt wurde. Damit wurde es möglich, ds-DNA auf molekular modifizierten Graphit-Oberflächen zu spalten, auszustrecken, zu überdehnen, und schließlich zu brechen. Mit einer neu entwickelten "SFM Blowing"-Technik wurden überdrillte ds-DNA und synthetische Block-Copolymere aus DNA und Poly(ethylenglycol) vollständig auf einem atomar flachen Substrat ausgestreckt. Insgesamt liefert die vorliegende Arbeit neue Einblicke in hoch interessante funktionale polymere Nanostrukturen sowie neue Methoden für deren Untersuchung. Die Ergebnisse sind von großer Bedeutung für die Entwicklung von biologisch inspirierten, funktionalen molekularen Systemen, die letztlich nahe an physikalischen Grenzen operieren, etwa was die effiziente Nutzung von Materie und Energie angeht. / Polymeric nanostructures from highly attractive, functional synthetic and biological macromolecules were self-assembled at interfaces and in thin films, and then explored with Scanning Force Microscopy (SFM) techniques, in order to develop a molecular level understanding, which allows to control their properties. A widely used polymer for organic electronics, poly(3-hexylthiophene), was investigated in thin films in order to determine the role of molecular weight for the formation of molecular nanostructures, and the correlation with the corresponding transistor properties and charge carrier mobilities. On the level of single macromolecules, dendronized polymers, were investigated. For the first time, self-folding of single synthetic polymer chains into polymeric duplexes was reported. Moreover, it became possible to detect rare single polymer topologies, such as chain branching, which could not be detected by any other means so far. The complexation of plasmid double-stranded DNA (ds-DNA) with amphiphilic small molecules allowed to control the macromolecular conformation with a “Molecular Workbench”, developed largely within this thesis. It became possible to split, stretch, overstretch, and finally break ds-DNA on molecularly modified graphite surfaces. With a newly developed “SFM blowing” technique, supercoiled ds-DNA and also synthetic block copolymers from DNA and poly(ethyleneglycol) were fully stretched on an atomically flat substrate. Quantitative experiments allowed to estimate rupture forces of ds-DNA on a time scale on the order of as much as half an hour. In summary, this work presents new insight into highly interesting functional polymeric nanostructures as well as new methods for their investigation. The results are highly relevant for a rational development of biologically inspired functional molecular systems, which may ultimately operate close to physical limits as far as the efficient use of matter and energy is concerned.

Visualization and study of reconformation of polyelectrolytes (PEs) of different architecture is of great fundamental and practical interest. Verification of theoretical predictions with experiment is of essential importance. On the other hand, a wide range of bottom-up techniques based on patterning of matter on the length scale of a few nanometers have been recently developed. Particularly interesting is the possibility of using self-assembled single molecule structures as templates for the deposition of inorganic matter, in particular metals. Synthetic "normal-sized" polymers of various architecture, like poly-2-vinylpyridine (P2VP) or polystyrene-poly(2-vynil pyridine) P2VP7-PS7 star-like block copolymer, adsorbed on solid substrates have been visualized for the first time with molecular resolution by AFM in different conformation. This finding allowed us to study largely discussed problem, a coil-to-globule transition of PEs. It was found that PE molecules undergo conformational transitions from stretched worm-like coil to compact globule via set of necklace-like globules, as the fraction of charged monomers decreases with an increase of pH and ionic strength. These results are in good agreement with recently developed DRO theory for weakly charged flexible PEs in poor solvent. The size of the deposited single molecules correlates very well with molecular dimensions in solution obtained in light scattering experiments. PE single molecules of various architectures was mineralized in different conformations that constitutes the route to nanoparticles with desired shape (including wire-shape and star-shaped), size, and composition (including metallic, magnetic and semiconductive nanoparticles). It was shown that molecular details of the adsorbed linear flexible PE molecules determine the dimensions of the nanostructures after metallization and that observed sizes are consistent with the decoration of single molecules with nanoclusters. Thus those metallized nanoparticles (cluster assembles) reflect the conformation of original adsorbed PE molecules. The dimensions of the obtained nanowires are significantly smaller than those previously reported. All of these features are of the potential benefit in applications for nanodevices. Metallization of the PS7-P2VP7 improves AFM resolution due to the selective deposition of Pd clusters along the P2VP chains. For the first time, the number of the P2VP second generation arms of the heteroarm block-copolymer was directly counted in the single molecule AFM experiment. Simple contrasting procedure was developed to improve AFM visualization of positively charged polymer chains deposited on the substrates of relatively high roughness. This method allows increasing the thickness of the resulting structures up to 10 nm, and, consequently, provide visualization of polymer chains on rough surfaces. This innovation is important for the development of single molecule experiments with polymer chains. The reaction of HCF-anion could be used for recognition of polycation molecules, when polycations, polyanions and neutral molecules coexist on the surface. Recently, the study was strongly restricted to atomically smooth surfaces. The contrasting procedure extends the range of substrates (Si-wafers, chemically modified or patterned Si-wafers, polished glasses, polymer films, etc) appropriate for the experiments. Thus, polymer single molecules can be considered not only as representative of the ensemble molecules, but also as individual nanoscale objects which can be used for future nanotechnology for the fabrication of single molecule electronic devices. Also these findings are important from fundamental point of view, since developed approach can be successfully applied for investigation of various "classical" problems in polymer science, such as polymer reconformation, interpolyelectrolyte complex formation, polymer diffusion, adsorption, etc.

Visualization and study of reconformation of polyelectrolytes (PEs) of different architecture is of great fundamental and practical interest. Verification of theoretical predictions with experiment is of essential importance. On the other hand, a wide range of bottom-up techniques based on patterning of matter on the length scale of a few nanometers have been recently developed. Particularly interesting is the possibility of using self-assembled single molecule structures as templates for the deposition of inorganic matter, in particular metals. Synthetic "normal-sized" polymers of various architecture, like poly-2-vinylpyridine (P2VP) or polystyrene-poly(2-vynil pyridine) P2VP7-PS7 star-like block copolymer, adsorbed on solid substrates have been visualized for the first time with molecular resolution by AFM in different conformation. This finding allowed us to study largely discussed problem, a coil-to-globule transition of PEs. It was found that PE molecules undergo conformational transitions from stretched worm-like coil to compact globule via set of necklace-like globules, as the fraction of charged monomers decreases with an increase of pH and ionic strength. These results are in good agreement with recently developed DRO theory for weakly charged flexible PEs in poor solvent. The size of the deposited single molecules correlates very well with molecular dimensions in solution obtained in light scattering experiments. PE single molecules of various architectures was mineralized in different conformations that constitutes the route to nanoparticles with desired shape (including wire-shape and star-shaped), size, and composition (including metallic, magnetic and semiconductive nanoparticles). It was shown that molecular details of the adsorbed linear flexible PE molecules determine the dimensions of the nanostructures after metallization and that observed sizes are consistent with the decoration of single molecules with nanoclusters. Thus those metallized nanoparticles (cluster assembles) reflect the conformation of original adsorbed PE molecules. The dimensions of the obtained nanowires are significantly smaller than those previously reported. All of these features are of the potential benefit in applications for nanodevices. Metallization of the PS7-P2VP7 improves AFM resolution due to the selective deposition of Pd clusters along the P2VP chains. For the first time, the number of the P2VP second generation arms of the heteroarm block-copolymer was directly counted in the single molecule AFM experiment. Simple contrasting procedure was developed to improve AFM visualization of positively charged polymer chains deposited on the substrates of relatively high roughness. This method allows increasing the thickness of the resulting structures up to 10 nm, and, consequently, provide visualization of polymer chains on rough surfaces. This innovation is important for the development of single molecule experiments with polymer chains. The reaction of HCF-anion could be used for recognition of polycation molecules, when polycations, polyanions and neutral molecules coexist on the surface. Recently, the study was strongly restricted to atomically smooth surfaces. The contrasting procedure extends the range of substrates (Si-wafers, chemically modified or patterned Si-wafers, polished glasses, polymer films, etc) appropriate for the experiments. Thus, polymer single molecules can be considered not only as representative of the ensemble molecules, but also as individual nanoscale objects which can be used for future nanotechnology for the fabrication of single molecule electronic devices. Also these findings are important from fundamental point of view, since developed approach can be successfully applied for investigation of various "classical" problems in polymer science, such as polymer reconformation, interpolyelectrolyte complex formation, polymer diffusion, adsorption, etc.