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Research Projects Hydrogels and Self-Assembled Monolayers (Funded by JD Watson NYSTAR, CCMR) We will use hydrogels to control the growth of inorganic crystals nucleated on self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) (Figure Top). Using this approach, we are characterizing the key variables of protein hydrogels found in natural biomineralizing systems for controlling crystal growth. By controlling both nucleation and growth, we have greater control over the crystal morphology, crystal polymorph, and physical properties than could be obtained by using either SAMs or hydrogels alone.
Students: Hanying Li, Ellen Keene, Vijay Ravichandran, and Dat Tran
 Controlling Polymorphism of Organics with Self-Assembled Monolayers (Funded by ACS-PRF) We will use arrays of self-assembled monolayers with different functionality (prepared on gold-coated 96-well plates) as nucleating surfaces to screen for physical forms (polymorphs, hydrates and amorphous structures) of organic compounds, in particular drug molecules and organic pigments. It is important to the pharmaceutical industry to have a method of rapidly screening compounds for polymorphism. Since polymorphism is determined at nucleation, one approach to this problem is to screen multiple nucleating substrates. SAMs provide a nucleating surface, the chemical and sterochemical structure of which is easily manipulated by changing the omega-functional group on the alkanethiol, the number of carbons in the alkane chain, and/or the metal on which the SAM is formed.
Students: Jason Dorvee and Jamil Lawrence |
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Last Revised: 8/10/2007 |
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