Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 20, 2026
10:27
Antifouling Self-assembled Monolayers on Microelectrodes for Patterning Biomolecules
Published on: August 25, 2009
11.5K
Extreme long-lifetime self-assembled monolayer for air-stable molecular junctions
Ningyue Chen1, Shuwei Li2,3, Peng Zhao1
1Key Laboratory of Organic Optoelectronics and Molecular Engineering and Laboratory of Flexible Electronics Technology, Department of Chemistry, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China.
Science Advances
|October 18, 2023
Summary
Researchers developed stable molecular electronic devices using selenide anchoring groups, overcoming the oxidation instability of traditional thiolate-based devices for longer-lasting applications.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Nanotechnology
- Molecular Electronics
Background:
- Self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) on metal surfaces enable molecular electronic devices for miniaturization.
- Thiolate SAMs on gold are unstable due to sulfur-metal bond oxidation, limiting practical applications.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop stable SAMs for molecular electronics by exploring alternative anchoring groups.
- To investigate the stability and performance of selenide-based SAMs on gold surfaces.
Main Methods:
- Fabrication of SAMs on gold using selenide anchoring groups.
- Incorporation of these SAMs into molecular tunnel junctions.
- Structural characterization using spectroscopy and first-principles modeling.
- Assessment of junction stability over extended periods (over 200 days).
Main Results:
- Selenide-based SAMs form exceptionally strong selenium-gold bonds.
- These SAMs create molecular tunnel junctions that remain stable for over 200 days.
- The selenium-gold bond exhibits slower oxidation kinetics compared to sulfur-gold bonds.
- The selenium-gold bond's strength prevents breaking even after oxidation.
Conclusions:
- Selenide anchoring groups provide a viable alternative to thiolates for creating stable SAMs on gold.
- Stable SAMs derived from selenides are crucial for developing long-lived molecular electronic devices.
- This approach holds potential for various air-stable applications requiring robust SAMs.
