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Single Molecule Study of Beta-Carotene using Scanning Tunneling Microscope (Up-close and Personal Investigation of Beta-Carotene)

Skeini, Timur
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ohiou1273755921

Abstract Details

2010, Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Ohio University, Physics and Astronomy (Arts and Sciences).
We mimic beta-carotene (β-carotene) environment in plant leaves by using Au(111) as a substrate and conduct single molecule level studies in ultra high vacuum at low substrate temperatures of 77 K and 4.2 K. The STM images and manipulations studies identify five mechanically stable beta-carotene conformations on this substrate, with two never before reported by experiments. We confirm beta-carotene single molecule switching and molecular wire functionality. The beta-carotene clusters are disordered and rich in conformations. Single molecule extraction and cluster manipulation experiments indicate that intermolecular interactions of beta-carotene on Au(111) are stronger than molecule-substrate interactions. The mixtures of beta-carotene and chlorophyll-a result in three regions of ordered self-assembled chlorophyll-a, mobile beta-carotene, and their disordered mixtures with a ratio of 43.6±7.8% to 56.4±10.1% (over 9 mixtures), respectively, with 56.0±10.1% of beta-carotene being trans, indicating beta-carotene preferential mixing with chlorophyll-a instead of its own beta-carotene clusters. The results of this dissertation provide information on single molecule level properties of beta-carotene for fundamental understanding as well as for applications in green nano-bio-technology, nano-medicine, molecular electronics, and energy harvesting.
Saw Wai Hla, PhD (Advisor)
Ido Braslavsky, PhD (Committee Member)
Alexander Neiman, PhD (Committee Member)
Richardson Hugh, PhD (Committee Member)
105 p.
Physics
beta-carotene; &946; -carotene; chlorophyll-a; STM; scanning tunneling microscope; single molecule; cluster; lateral manipulation; nanotechnology; nano-device; biotechnology; mechanical stability; ultra high vacuum; low temperature; switching

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Skeini, T. (2010). Single Molecule Study of Beta-Carotene using Scanning Tunneling Microscope (Up-close and Personal Investigation of Beta-Carotene) [Doctoral dissertation, Ohio University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ohiou1273755921

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Skeini, Timur. Single Molecule Study of Beta-Carotene using Scanning Tunneling Microscope (Up-close and Personal Investigation of Beta-Carotene). 2010. Ohio University, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ohiou1273755921.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Skeini, Timur. "Single Molecule Study of Beta-Carotene using Scanning Tunneling Microscope (Up-close and Personal Investigation of Beta-Carotene)." Doctoral dissertation, Ohio University, 2010. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ohiou1273755921

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

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This open access ETD is published by Ohio University and OhioLINK.