Directed assembly of Au nanoparticles onto planar surfaces via multiple hydrogen bonds

We have developed a new concept to effect nanoparticle binding on surfaces by use of directed, specific molecular interactions. Hamilton-type receptors displaying a binding strength of approximately 10(5) M(-)(1) were covalently fixed onto self-assembled monolayers via Sharpless-type "click" reactions, thus representing an efficient method to control the densities of ligands over a range from low to complete surface coverage. Au nanoparticles covered with the matching barbituric acid receptors bound with high selectivity onto this surface by a self-assembly process mediated by multiple hydrogen bonds. The binding process was investigated with atomic force microscopy. Moderate control of particle density was achieved by controlling the receptor density on the self-assembled monolayer surface. The method opens a general approach to nanoparticle and small object binding onto patterned surfaces.