Parallel-Processing of Chemically Sensitive Layers by Self-Assembling - Structuring of Bulk Materials and Surfaces

摘要

Developing suitable selective interaction layers is a key step in the design of chemical sensor systems (1). Materials based on host-guest chemistry with molecular hollows (cavitands, crown ethers, cyclodextrins, calixarenes etc.) yield excellent recognition abilities but demand elaborate organic synthesis. Saving expenses, however, is a major task in sensor development, therefore more parallel approaches to the problem, ideally being independent of transducer technology; would be desirable. Additionally, the method should be suitable for analytes of many different types and all sizes ranging form organic solvent vapors over biopolymers up to microorganisms. A technology platform for this purpose is given by self-assembly of molecules to form the sensitive layers, be it by spontaneous aggregation or by printing with templates(2,3). This method also allows to generate structured materials on larger areas and can be combined with a variety of transducer technologies, such as optical devices, quartz crystal microbalances (QCM), surface acoustic wave resonators (SAW) or surface plasmon resonators (SPR). In this paper the suitability and power of this strategy is presented by different applications of layers produced by self-assembly covering a wide chemical and sterical range of analytes and analyte mixtures.