Publications by Year: 2018

2018
Tadi, K. K. ; Alshanski, I. ; Hurevich, M. ; Yitzchaik, S. pH Controlled Impedimetric Sensing of Copper(II) Ion Using Oxytocin as Recognition Element. Surfaces 2018, 1(1), 90-95. Publisher's VersionAbstract

We report the modulation of the specific metal gation properties of a peptide and demonstrate a highly selective sensor for copper(II) ion. The neuropeptide oxytocin (OT) is reported for its high affinity towards Zn2+and Cu2+ at physiological pH. The binding of the metal ions to OT is tuned by altering the pH of the medium. OT was self-assembled on glassy carbon electrode using surface chemistry, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) was used to probe the binding of Cu2+. Our results clearly indicate that at pH 10.0, the binding of Cu2+ to OT is increased compared to that at pH 7.0, while the binding to Zn2+ becomes almost negligible. This proves that the selectivity of OT towards each of the ions can be regulated simply by controlling the pH of the medium and hence allows the preparation of a sensing device with selectivity to Cu2+.

Diversification of Device Platforms by Molecular Layers; Hybrid Sensing Platforms, Monolayer Doping & Modeling
Yitzchaik, S. ; Gutierrez, R. ; Cuniberti, G. ; Yerushalmi, R. Diversification of Device Platforms by Molecular Layers; Hybrid Sensing Platforms, Monolayer Doping & Modeling. Langmuir 2018. Publisher's VersionAbstract

Inorganic materials such as semiconductors, oxides, and metals are ubiquitous in a wide range of device technologies owing to the outstanding robustness and mature processing technologies available for such materials. However, while the important contribution of inorganic materials to the advancement of device technologies has been well established for decades, organic-inorganic hybrid device systems, which merge molecular functionalities with inorganic platforms represent a newer domain that is rapidly evolving at an increasing pace. Such devices benefit from the great versatility and flexibility of the organic building blocks merged with the robustness of the inorganic platforms. Given the overwhelming wealth of literature covering various approaches for modifying and using inorganic devices, this feature article selectively highlights some of the advances made in the context of diversification of devices by surface chemistry. Particular attention is given to oxide-semiconductor systems and metallic surfaces modified with organic monolayers. The inorganic device components, such as semiconductors, metals, or oxides, are modified by organic monolayers, which may serve as either active, static, or sacrificial components. We portray research directions within the broader field of organic-inorganic hybrid device systems that can be viewed as specific examples of the potential of such hybrid device systems given their comprehensive capabilities of design and diversification. Monolayer doping techniques where sacrificial organic monolayers are introduced to semiconducting elements are reviewed as a specific case, together with associated requirements for nanosystems, devices, and sensors for controlling doping levels and doping profiles at the nanometric scale. Another series of examples of the flexibility provided by the marriage of organic functional monolayers and inorganic device components is represented by a new class of biosensors, where the organic layer functionality is exploited in a functioning device for sensing. Considerations for relying on oxide-terminated semiconductors rather than the pristine semiconductor material as a platform both for processing and sensing are discussed. Finally, we cover aspects related to the use of various theoretical and computational approaches to model organic-inorganic systems. The main objectives of the topics covered here are (i) to present the advances made in each respective domain, and (ii) provide a comprehensive view of the potential uses of organic monolayers and self-assembly processes in the rapidly evolving field of molecular-inorganic hybrid device platforms and processing methodologies. The combination of directions highlighted here provides a perspective, on a future, not yet fully realized, integrated approach where organic monolayers are combined with inorganic platforms in order to obtain versatile, robust, and flexible systems with enhanced capabilities.