Self-assembled monolayer of carboxyl-terminated poly(amido amine) dendrimer

Adlayer formation and adsorption structure of 2.5th-generation poly(amido amine) dendrimer with carboxyl-terminated groups on solid substrates were investigated by atomic force microscopy, surface plasmon resonance spectroscopy, and surface enhanced infrared absorption spectroscopy. Dendrimer molecules are not uniformly adsorbed on solid surface but form aggregates with a width of approximately 100 nm and a height less than 1 nm. Adsorption reaches in equilibrium at 100-1000 sec, depending on the dendrimer concentration. The adsorption-desorption process is considerably reproducible and repeatable. Although the adsorption at equilibrium increases with dendrimer concentration and reaches maximum at neutral pH, monolayer is always maintained after the desorption with solvent. This indicates the formation of self-assembled monolayer. Such monolayer is preserved even at the variation of pH. Although most carboxylates are protonated at acidic pH, small amount of carboxylate remains even at acidic pH. The adsorption structure of dendrimer was illustrated.