INVESTIGATING ENERGY TRANSFER PHENOMENA IN NOVEL ORGANOMETALLIC NANOMATERIALS AND METAL-BINDING BIOMACROMOLECULES USING ELECTRODE NANOGAP-ENABLED, DEP-ASSISTED ELECTRONIC AND SPECTROSCOPIC MEASUREMENT
Abstract
The current proposed project consists of studying the behavior of novel germanium-based organometallic compounds (GeOMC) and rare earth metal-binding biomaterials, using our dielectrophoresis-assisted electrode nanogap platform and its variations for electronic and spectroscopic detection (US Patent 9915614 B2, 2018), down to the low-copy number nanoparticle-biomacromolecule level. Mainly, we are to characterize the opto-electronic properties of nanoparticles made of these materials (GeOMC NPs) while being trapped across an electrode nanogap, in both dark state and photoexcitation conditions and subjected to local variations of a bias electric field, as well as studying the binding of lanthanide (Ln) ions to LanM proteins trapped between our nanogap electrodes and experimentally understand the subsequent conformational changes that these proteins undergo, through electrical conduction and simultaneous Surface Enhanced Raman spectroscopy. The morphological aspects of these materials will be explored using characterization techniques such as AFM, SEM and TEM as well as super-resolution imaging (Photo-Activated Localization Microscopy, or PALM) and fluorescence microscopy to validate the positioning of these materials in the inter-electrode space. Acquired electronic conductivity data will be analyzed by means of nanogap enabled and dielectrophoretically-assisted electronic correlation spectroscopy (ECS) and statistical analysis. Also, electronic properties of GeOMC NPs and LanMs will be studied using I-V curves. In-situ measurements of SERS and THz Raman spectroscopy of trapped LanMs and GeOMC NPs will be also performed. The insight gained from this investigation is key to shed light on the fundamental processes of energy transfer in these novel hole transporting materials, which could help establish perovskite solar cells as alternative, clean, and renewable technologies while opening up new applications, and on the other hand pointing toward LanM protein-based biotechnologies for detecting, sequestering, and separating these technologically important elements. The investigation follows research interests outlined in the opportunity number FA9550-19-S-0003, as well as specific interests from the Biological Materials and Processes research team within the Soft Matter Materials Branch (RXAS) at AFRL, which could be potentially used in a vast array of future Air Force missions.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Mar 07, 2023
- Source ID
- FA95502110430
Entities
People
- Leonardo Lesser-Rojas
Organizations
- Air Force Office of Scientific Research
- United States Air Force
- University of Costa Rica