Work

Identifying Mechanisms of Interfacial Dynamics Using Single-Molecule Tracking

Year: 2012

Type: review

Abstract: The "soft" (i.e., noncovalent) interactions between molecules and surfaces are complex and highly varied (e.g., hydrophobic, hydrogen bonding, and ionic), often leading to heterogeneous interfacial behavior. Heterogeneity can arise either from the spatial variation of the surface/interface itself or from molecular configurations (i.e., conformation, orientation, aggregation state, etc.). By observing the adsorption, diffusion, and desorption of individual fluorescent molecules, single-molecule tracking can characterize these types of heterogeneous interfacial behavior in ways that are inaccessible to traditional ensemble-averaged methods. Moreover, the fluorescence intensity or emission wavelength (in resonance energy transfer experiments) can be used to track the molecular configuration and simultaneously directly relate this to the resulting interfacial mobility or affinity. In this feature article, we review recent advances involving the use of single-molecule tracking to characterize heterogeneous molecule-surface interactions including multiple modes of diffusion and desorption associated with both internal and external molecular configuration, Arrhenius-activated interfacial transport, spatially dependent interactions, and many more.

Source: Langmuir

DOI: 10.1021/la3017134

Authors: Mark Kastantin, Robert Walder, Daniel K. Schwartz

Institution: University of Colorado Boulder

Language: English

Topic: Surfactants and Colloidal Systems

Subfield: Organic Chemistry

Field: Chemistry

Domain: Physical Sciences

Open Access status: green

Funders: National Science Foundation, U.S. Department of Energy, National Institute of General Medical Sciences, Basic Energy Sciences

Award: Behavior of biomolecules at controllable solid - water interfaces