Abstract
The triggered assembly of organic and biological materials in response to imposed electrical signals (i.e., electroaddressing) provides interesting opportunities for applications in molecular electronics, biosensing and nano-biotechnology. Recent studies have shown that the conjugation of aromatic moieties to short peptides often yields hydrogelator compounds that can be triggered to self-assemble over a hierarchy of length scales in response to a reduction in pH. Here, we examined the capabilities of fl uorenyl-9-methoxycarbonyl- phenylalanine (Fmoc-Phe) to electrodeposit in response to an electrochemically-induced pH gradient generated at the anode surface. We report that the electrodeposition of Fmoc-Phe; is rapid (minutes), can be spatially controlled in normal and lateral directions, and can be reversed by applying a brief cathodic current. Further more, we show that Fmoc-Phe can be simultaneously deposited on one electrode address (anode) while it is being cathodically stripped from a separate electrode address of the same chip. Finally, we demonstrate that these capabilities can be extended for electroaddressing within microfl uidic channels. The reversible assembly/disassembly of molecular gelators (Fmoc-amino acids and Fmoc-peptides) in response to spatiotemporally imposed electrical signals offers unique opportunities for electroaddressing that should be especially valuable for lab-on-a-chip applications.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 1575-1580 |
Number of pages | 6 |
Journal | Advanced Functional Materials |
Volume | 21 |
Issue number | 9 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 10 May 2011 |
Keywords
- microarrays
- carbon surfaces
- electrode surfaces
- composite films
- protein
- chitosan films
- covalent immobilization
- supramolecular hydrogels
- selective immobilization
- electrochemical oxidation
- reversible
- electroaddressing
- self-assembling
- amino-acid conjugates