1
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Gorenskaia E, Low PJ. Methods for the analysis, interpretation, and prediction of single-molecule junction conductance behaviour. Chem Sci 2024; 15:9510-9556. [PMID: 38939131 PMCID: PMC11206205 DOI: 10.1039/d4sc00488d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2024] [Accepted: 05/06/2024] [Indexed: 06/29/2024] Open
Abstract
This article offers a broad overview of measurement methods in the field of molecular electronics, with a particular focus on the most common single-molecule junction fabrication techniques, the challenges in data analysis and interpretation of single-molecule junction current-distance traces, and a summary of simulations and predictive models aimed at establishing robust structure-property relationships of use in the further development of molecular electronics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena Gorenskaia
- School of Molecular Sciences, University of Western Australia 35 Stirling Highway Crawley Western Australia 6026 Australia
| | - Paul J Low
- School of Molecular Sciences, University of Western Australia 35 Stirling Highway Crawley Western Australia 6026 Australia
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2
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Xu X, Jia K, Qi Q, Tian G, Xiang D. Regulation of π-π interactions between single aromatic molecules by bias voltage. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2024; 26:14607-14612. [PMID: 38738917 DOI: 10.1039/d4cp01277a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/14/2024]
Abstract
π-stacking interaction, as a fundamental type of intermolecular interaction, plays a crucial role in generating new functional molecules, altering the optoelectronic properties of materials, and maintaining protein structural stability. However, regulating intermolecular π-π interactions at the single-molecule level without altering the molecular conformation as well as the chemical properties remains a significant challenge. To this end, via conductance measurement with thousands of single molecular junctions employing a series of aromatic molecules, we demonstrate that the π-π coupling between neighboring aromatic molecules with rigid structures in a circuit can be greatly enhanced by increasing the bias voltage. We further reveal that this universal regulating effect of bias voltage without molecular conformational variation originates from the increases of the molecular dipole upon an applied electric field. These findings not only supply a non-destructive method to regulate the intermolecular interactions offering an approach to modulate the electron transport through a single molecular junction, but also deepen the understanding of the mechanism of π-π interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaona Xu
- Center of Single-Molecule Sciences, Institute of Modern Optics, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Micro-scale Optical Information Science and Technology, Nankai University, Tianjin 300350, China.
| | - Keqiang Jia
- Center of Single-Molecule Sciences, Institute of Modern Optics, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Micro-scale Optical Information Science and Technology, Nankai University, Tianjin 300350, China.
| | - Qiang Qi
- State Key Laboratory of Metastable Materials Science & Technology and Key Laboratory for Microstructural Material Physics of Hebei Province, School of Science, Yanshan University, Qinhuangdao, 066004, China.
| | - Guangjun Tian
- State Key Laboratory of Metastable Materials Science & Technology and Key Laboratory for Microstructural Material Physics of Hebei Province, School of Science, Yanshan University, Qinhuangdao, 066004, China.
| | - Dong Xiang
- Center of Single-Molecule Sciences, Institute of Modern Optics, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Micro-scale Optical Information Science and Technology, Nankai University, Tianjin 300350, China.
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3
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Guo HY, Pei LQ, Cai ZY, Sun N, Zheng JF, Shao Y, Wang YH, Wu DY, Jin S, Zhou XS. Effects of Connectivity Isomerization on Electron Transport Through Thiophene Heterocyclic Molecular Junction. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2024; 40:9717-9724. [PMID: 38712354 DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.4c00678] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/08/2024]
Abstract
Connectivity isomerization of the same aromatic molecular core with different substitution positions profoundly affects electron transport pathways and single-molecule conductance. Herein, we designed and synthesized all connectivity isomers of a thiophene (TP) aromatic ring substituted by two dihydrobenzo[b]thiophene (BT) groups with ethynyl spacers (m,n-TP-BT, (m,n = 2,3; 2,4; 2,5; 3,4)), to systematically probe how connectivity contributes to single-molecule conductance. Single-molecule conductance measurements using a scanning tunneling microscopy break junction (STM-BJ) technique show ∼12-fold change in conductance values, which follow an order of 10-4.83 G0 (2,4-TP-BT) < 10-4.78 G0 (3,4-TP-BT) < 10-4.06 G0 (2,3-TP-BT) < 10-3.75 G0 (2,5-TP-BT). Electronic structure analysis and theoretical simulations show that the connectivity isomerization significantly changes electron delocalization and HOMO-LUMO energy gaps. Moreover, the connectivity-dependent molecular structures lead to different quantum interference (QI) effects in electron transport, e.g., a strong destructive QI near E = EF leads the smallest conductance value for 2,4-TP-BT. This work proves a clear relationship between the connectivity isomerization and single-molecule conductance of thiophene heterocyclic molecular junctions for the future design of molecular devices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hong-Yang Guo
- Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education for Advanced Catalysis Materials, Institute of Physical Chemistry, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua 321004, China
| | - Lin-Qi Pei
- Key Laboratory of Pesticide and Chemical Biology, Ministry of Education, College of Chemistry, Central China Normal University, Wuhan, Hubei 430079, China
| | - Zhuan-Yun Cai
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces and Department of Chemistry, iChEM, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, China
| | - Nan Sun
- Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education for Advanced Catalysis Materials, Institute of Physical Chemistry, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua 321004, China
| | - Ju-Fang Zheng
- Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education for Advanced Catalysis Materials, Institute of Physical Chemistry, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua 321004, China
| | - Yong Shao
- Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education for Advanced Catalysis Materials, Institute of Physical Chemistry, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua 321004, China
| | - Ya-Hao Wang
- Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education for Advanced Catalysis Materials, Institute of Physical Chemistry, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua 321004, China
| | - De-Yin Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces and Department of Chemistry, iChEM, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, China
| | - Shan Jin
- Key Laboratory of Pesticide and Chemical Biology, Ministry of Education, College of Chemistry, Central China Normal University, Wuhan, Hubei 430079, China
| | - Xiao-Shun Zhou
- Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education for Advanced Catalysis Materials, Institute of Physical Chemistry, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua 321004, China
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4
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Guo Y, Li M, Zhao C, Zhang Y, Jia C, Guo X. Understanding Emergent Complexity from a Single-Molecule Perspective. JACS AU 2024; 4:1278-1294. [PMID: 38665639 PMCID: PMC11040556 DOI: 10.1021/jacsau.3c00845] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2023] [Revised: 02/27/2024] [Accepted: 02/27/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024]
Abstract
Molecules, with structural, scaling, and interaction diversities, are crucial for the emergence of complex behaviors. Interactions are essential prerequisites for complex systems to exhibit emergent properties that surpass the sum of individual component characteristics. Tracing the origin of complex molecular behaviors from interactions is critical to understanding ensemble emergence, and requires insights at the single-molecule level. Electrical signals from single-molecule junctions enable the observation of individual molecular behaviors, as well as intramolecular and intermolecular interactions. This technique provides a foundation for bottom-up explorations of emergent complexity. This Perspective highlights investigations of various interactions via single-molecule junctions, including intramolecular orbital and weak intermolecular interactions and interactions in chemical reactions. It also provides potential directions for future single-molecule junctions in complex system research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yilin Guo
- Beijing
National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, National Biomedical Imaging
Center, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, 292 Chengfu Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100871, P. R. China
| | - Mingyao Li
- School
of Materials Science and Engineering, Peking
University, No.5 Yiheyuan
Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100871, P. R. China
| | - Cong Zhao
- Center
of Single-Molecule Sciences, Institute of Modern Optics, Frontiers
Science Center for New Organic Matter, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Micro-scale
Optical Information Science and Technology, College of Electronic
Information and Optical Engineering, Nankai
University, 38 Tongyan Road, Jinnan District, Tianjin 300350, P. R. China
| | - Yanfeng Zhang
- School
of Materials Science and Engineering, Peking
University, No.5 Yiheyuan
Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100871, P. R. China
| | - Chuancheng Jia
- Center
of Single-Molecule Sciences, Institute of Modern Optics, Frontiers
Science Center for New Organic Matter, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Micro-scale
Optical Information Science and Technology, College of Electronic
Information and Optical Engineering, Nankai
University, 38 Tongyan Road, Jinnan District, Tianjin 300350, P. R. China
| | - Xuefeng Guo
- Beijing
National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, National Biomedical Imaging
Center, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, 292 Chengfu Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100871, P. R. China
- Center
of Single-Molecule Sciences, Institute of Modern Optics, Frontiers
Science Center for New Organic Matter, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Micro-scale
Optical Information Science and Technology, College of Electronic
Information and Optical Engineering, Nankai
University, 38 Tongyan Road, Jinnan District, Tianjin 300350, P. R. China
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5
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Li Y, Zhang Z, Wang R, Tang A, Ma C, Lian C, Tian H, Li H. Suppressing the Conductance of Single-Molecule Junctions Fabricated by sp 2 C-H Bond Metalation. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2024. [PMID: 38497376 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.3c16719] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/19/2024]
Abstract
High-conducting single-molecule junctions have attracted a great deal of attention, but insulating single-molecule junctions, which are critical in molecular circuits, have been less investigated due to the long-standing challenges. Herein, the in situ formation of a Au-C linker via electrical-potential-mediated sp2 C-H bond metalation of polyfluoroarenes with the assistance of scanning tunneling microscope-based break junction technique is reported. This metalation process is bias-dependent and occurs with an electropositive electrode, and the formed junction is highly oriented. Surprisingly, these polyfluoroarenes exhibit unexpected low conductance even under short molecular lengths and are superior molecular insulators. Flicker noise analysis and DFT calculations confirm that the insulating properties of polyfluoroarenes are ascribed to their multiple fluorine substituents. Our results pave a way for constructing oriented asymmetric molecular junctions and provide an efficient strategy to suppress the single-molecule conductance, which will aid in the design of molecular insulators and advance the development of self-integrating functional molecular circuits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yunpeng Li
- Key Laboratory for Advanced Materials, Feringa Nobel Prize Scientist Joint Research Center, Frontiers Science Center for Materiobiology and Dynamic Chemistry, Institute of Fine Chemicals, School of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, P. R. China
| | - Zekai Zhang
- Key Laboratory for Advanced Materials, Feringa Nobel Prize Scientist Joint Research Center, Frontiers Science Center for Materiobiology and Dynamic Chemistry, Institute of Fine Chemicals, School of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, P. R. China
| | - Rui Wang
- Key Laboratory for Advanced Materials, Feringa Nobel Prize Scientist Joint Research Center, Frontiers Science Center for Materiobiology and Dynamic Chemistry, Institute of Fine Chemicals, School of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, P. R. China
| | - Ajun Tang
- Key Laboratory for Advanced Materials, Feringa Nobel Prize Scientist Joint Research Center, Frontiers Science Center for Materiobiology and Dynamic Chemistry, Institute of Fine Chemicals, School of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, P. R. China
| | - Chaoqi Ma
- Key Laboratory for Advanced Materials, Feringa Nobel Prize Scientist Joint Research Center, Frontiers Science Center for Materiobiology and Dynamic Chemistry, Institute of Fine Chemicals, School of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, P. R. China
| | - Cheng Lian
- Key Laboratory for Advanced Materials, Feringa Nobel Prize Scientist Joint Research Center, Frontiers Science Center for Materiobiology and Dynamic Chemistry, Institute of Fine Chemicals, School of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, P. R. China
| | - He Tian
- Key Laboratory for Advanced Materials, Feringa Nobel Prize Scientist Joint Research Center, Frontiers Science Center for Materiobiology and Dynamic Chemistry, Institute of Fine Chemicals, School of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, P. R. China
| | - Hongxiang Li
- Key Laboratory for Advanced Materials, Feringa Nobel Prize Scientist Joint Research Center, Frontiers Science Center for Materiobiology and Dynamic Chemistry, Institute of Fine Chemicals, School of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, P. R. China
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6
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Ornago L, Zwick P, van der Poel S, Brandl T, El Abbassi M, Perrin ML, Dulić D, van der Zant HSJ, Mayor M. Influence of Peripheral Alkyl Groups on Junction Configurations in Single-Molecule Electronics. THE JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY. C, NANOMATERIALS AND INTERFACES 2024; 128:1413-1422. [PMID: 38293692 PMCID: PMC10823531 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcc.3c06970] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2023] [Revised: 12/28/2023] [Accepted: 12/28/2023] [Indexed: 02/01/2024]
Abstract
The addition of a lateral alkyl chain is a well-known strategy to reduce π-stacked ensembles of molecules in solution, with the intention to minimize the interactions between the molecules' backbones. In this paper, we study whether this concept generalizes to single-molecule junctions by using a combination of mechanically controllable break junction (MCBJ) measurements and clustering-based data analysis with two small series of model compounds decorated with various bulky groups. The systematic study suggests that introducing alkyl side chains also favors the formation of electrode-molecule configurations that are not observed in their absence, thereby inducing broadening of the conductance peak in the one-dimensional histograms. Thus, the introduction of alkyl chains in aromatic compounds for molecular electronics must be carefully designed and optimized for the specific purpose, balancing between increased solubility and the possibility of additional junction configurations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luca Ornago
- Kavli
Institute of Nanoscience, Delft University
of Technology, Lorentzweg 1, 2628 CJ Delft, The Netherlands
| | - Patrick Zwick
- Department
of Chemistry, University of Basel, St. Johanns-Ring 19, 4056 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Sebastiaan van der Poel
- Kavli
Institute of Nanoscience, Delft University
of Technology, Lorentzweg 1, 2628 CJ Delft, The Netherlands
| | - Thomas Brandl
- Department
of Chemistry, University of Basel, St. Johanns-Ring 19, 4056 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Maria El Abbassi
- Kavli
Institute of Nanoscience, Delft University
of Technology, Lorentzweg 1, 2628 CJ Delft, The Netherlands
| | - Mickael L. Perrin
- Transport
at Nanoscale Interfaces Laboratory, Empa,
Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, 8600 Dübendorf, Switzerland
- Department
of Information Technology and Electrical Engineering, ETH Zürich, 8092 Zürich, Switzerland
- Quantum
Center, ETH Zürich, 8093 Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Diana Dulić
- Department
of Physics and Department of Electrical Engineering, Faculty of Physical
and Mathematical Sciences, University of
Chile, Avenida Blanco
Encalada 2008, Santiago 8330015, Chile
| | - Herre S. J. van der Zant
- Kavli
Institute of Nanoscience, Delft University
of Technology, Lorentzweg 1, 2628 CJ Delft, The Netherlands
| | - Marcel Mayor
- Department
of Chemistry, University of Basel, St. Johanns-Ring 19, 4056 Basel, Switzerland
- Institute
for Nanotechnology (INT), Karlsruhe Institute
of Technology (KIT), P.O. Box 3640, 76021 Karlsruhe, Germany
- Lehn
Institute of Functional Materials (LIFM), School of Chemistry, Sun Yat-Sen University (SYSU), Guangzhou 510275, China
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7
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Czernek J, Brus J. Reliable Dimerization Energies for Modeling of Supramolecular Junctions. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:602. [PMID: 38203773 PMCID: PMC10778993 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25010602] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2023] [Revised: 12/23/2023] [Accepted: 12/25/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Accurate estimates of intermolecular interaction energy, ΔE, are crucial for modeling the properties of organic electronic materials and many other systems. For a diverse set of 50 dimers comprising up to 50 atoms (Set50-50, with 7 of its members being models of single-stacking junctions), benchmark ΔE data were compiled. They were obtained by the focal-point strategy, which involves computations using the canonical variant of the coupled cluster theory with singles, doubles, and perturbative triples [CCSD(T)] performed while applying a large basis set, along with extrapolations of the respective energy components to the complete basis set (CBS) limit. The resulting ΔE data were used to gauge the performance for the Set50-50 of several density-functional theory (DFT)-based approaches, and of one of the localized variants of the CCSD(T) method. This evaluation revealed that (1) the proposed "silver standard" approach, which employs the localized CCSD(T) method and CBS extrapolations, can be expected to provide accuracy better than two kJ/mol for absolute values of ΔE, and (2) from among the DFT techniques, computationally by far the cheapest approach (termed "ωB97X-3c/vDZP" by its authors) performed remarkably well. These findings are directly applicable in cost-effective yet reliable searches of the potential energy surfaces of noncovalent complexes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiří Czernek
- Institute of Macromolecular Chemistry, Czech Academy of Sciences, Heyrovsky Square 2, 16200 Prague, Czech Republic;
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8
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Li X, Zheng Y, Zhou Y, Zhu Z, Wu J, Ge W, Zhang Y, Ye Y, Chen L, Shi J, Liu J, Bai J, Liu Z, Hong W. Supramolecular Transistors with Quantum Interference Effect. J Am Chem Soc 2023; 145:21679-21686. [PMID: 37747934 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.3c08615] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/27/2023]
Abstract
The charge transport through supramolecular junctions exhibits unique quantum interference (QI) effects, which provide an opportunity for the design of supramolecular transistors. Benefiting from the configuration dependence of QI, configuration control of the supramolecular assemblies to demonstrate the QI features is a key but challenging step. In this work, we fabricated the supramolecular transistors and investigated the charge transport through the conducting channel of the individual π-stacked thiophene/phenylene co-oligomers (TPCOs) using the electrochemically gated scanning tunneling microscope break junction technique. We controlled the configuration of the supramolecular channel and switched the QI features between the anti-resonance and resonance states of the supramolecular channels. We observed the supramolecular transistor with its on/off ratio above 103 (∼1300), a high gating efficiency of ∼165 mV/dec, a low off-state leakage current of ∼30 pA, and the channel length scaled down to <2.0 nm. Density functional theory calculations suggested that the QI features in π-stacked TPCOs vary depending on the supramolecular architecture and can be manipulated efficiently by fine-tuning the supramolecular configurations. This work reveals the potential of the supramolecular channels for molecular electronics and provides a fundamental understanding of intermolecular charge transport.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaohui Li
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering & College of Materials & IKKEM, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005, China
| | - Yan Zheng
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering & College of Materials & IKKEM, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005, China
| | - Yu Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering & College of Materials & IKKEM, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005, China
| | - Zhiyu Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering & College of Materials & IKKEM, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005, China
| | - Jiayi Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering & College of Materials & IKKEM, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005, China
| | - Wenhui Ge
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering & College of Materials & IKKEM, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005, China
| | - Yuxuan Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering & College of Materials & IKKEM, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005, China
| | - Yuqing Ye
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering & College of Materials & IKKEM, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005, China
| | - Lichuan Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering & College of Materials & IKKEM, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005, China
| | - Jia Shi
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering & College of Materials & IKKEM, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005, China
| | - Junyang Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering & College of Materials & IKKEM, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005, China
| | - Jie Bai
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering & College of Materials & IKKEM, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005, China
| | - Zitong Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Applied Organic Chemistry (SKLAOC), College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, China
| | - Wenjing Hong
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering & College of Materials & IKKEM, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005, China
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9
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Zhou P, Fu Y, Wang M, Qiu R, Wang Y, Stoddart JF, Wang Y, Chen H. Robust Single-Supermolecule Switches Operating in Response to Two Different Noncovalent Interactions. J Am Chem Soc 2023; 145:18800-18811. [PMID: 37590178 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.3c03282] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/19/2023]
Abstract
Supramolecular electronics provide an opportunity to introduce molecular assemblies into electronic devices through a combination of noncovalent interactions such as [π···π] and hydrogen-bonding interactions. The fidelity and dynamics of noncovalent interactions hold considerable promise when it comes to building devices with controllable and reproducible switching functions. Here, we demonstrate a strategy for building electronically robust switches by harnessing two different noncovalent interactions between a couple of pyridine derivatives. The single-supermolecule switch is turned ON when compressing the junction enabling [π···π] interactions to dominate the transport, while the switch is turned OFF by stretching the junction to form hydrogen-bonded dimers, leading to a dramatic decrease in conductance. The robustness and reproducibility of these single-supermolecule switches were achieved by modulating the junction with Ångström precision at frequencies of up to 190 Hz while obtaining high ON/OFF ratios of ∼600. The research presented herein opens up an avenue for designing robust bistable mechanoresponsive devices which will find applications in the building of integrated circuits for microelectromechanical systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ping Zhou
- Stoddart Institute of Molecular Science, Department of Chemistry, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, China
- ZJU-Hangzhou Global Scientific and Technological Innovation Center, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 311215, China
| | - Yanjun Fu
- Stoddart Institute of Molecular Science, Department of Chemistry, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, China
- ZJU-Hangzhou Global Scientific and Technological Innovation Center, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 311215, China
| | - Maolin Wang
- Stoddart Institute of Molecular Science, Department of Chemistry, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, China
- ZJU-Hangzhou Global Scientific and Technological Innovation Center, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 311215, China
| | - Renhui Qiu
- Stoddart Institute of Molecular Science, Department of Chemistry, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, China
- ZJU-Hangzhou Global Scientific and Technological Innovation Center, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 311215, China
| | - Yuwei Wang
- Stoddart Institute of Molecular Science, Department of Chemistry, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, China
- ZJU-Hangzhou Global Scientific and Technological Innovation Center, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 311215, China
| | - J Fraser Stoddart
- Stoddart Institute of Molecular Science, Department of Chemistry, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, China
- ZJU-Hangzhou Global Scientific and Technological Innovation Center, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 311215, China
- Department of Chemistry, Northwestern University, 2145 Sheridan Road, Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States
- School of Chemistry, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
| | - Yuping Wang
- Stoddart Institute of Molecular Science, Department of Chemistry, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, China
- ZJU-Hangzhou Global Scientific and Technological Innovation Center, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 311215, China
| | - Hongliang Chen
- Stoddart Institute of Molecular Science, Department of Chemistry, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, China
- ZJU-Hangzhou Global Scientific and Technological Innovation Center, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 311215, China
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10
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Czernek J, Brus J. On the Intermolecular Interactions in Thiophene-Cored Single-Stacking Junctions. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:13349. [PMID: 37686156 PMCID: PMC10487960 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241713349] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2023] [Revised: 08/23/2023] [Accepted: 08/24/2023] [Indexed: 09/10/2023] Open
Abstract
There have been attempts, both experimental and based on density-functional theory (DFT) modeling, at understanding the factors that govern the electronic conductance behavior of single-stacking junctions formed by pi-conjugated materials in nanogaps. Here, a reliable description of relevant stacked configurations of some thiophene-cored systems is provided by means of high-level quantum chemical approaches. The minimal structures of these configurations, which are found using the dispersion-corrected DFT approach, are employed in calculations that apply the coupled cluster method with singles, doubles and perturbative triples [CCSD(T)] and extrapolations to the complete basis set (CBS) limit in order to reliably quantify the strength of intermolecular binding, while their physical origin is investigated using the DFT-based symmetry-adapted perturbation theory (SAPT) of intermolecular interactions. In particular, for symmetrized S-Tn dimers (where "S" and "T" denote a thiomethyl-containing anchor group and a thiophene segment comprising "n" units, respectively), the CCSD(T)/CBS interaction energies are found to increase linearly with n ≤ 6, and significant conformational differences between the flanking 2-thiophene group in S-T1 and S-T2 are described by the CCSD(T)/CBS and SAPT/CBS computations. These results are put into the context of previous work on charge transport properties of S-Tn and other types of supramolecular junctions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiří Czernek
- Institute of Macromolecular Chemistry, Czech Academy of Sciences, Heyrovsky Square 2, 16200 Prague, Czech Republic;
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11
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Pan X, Montes E, Rojas WY, Lawson B, Vázquez H, Kamenetska M. Cooperative Self-Assembly of Dimer Junctions Driven by π Stacking Leads to Conductance Enhancement. NANO LETTERS 2023; 23:6937-6943. [PMID: 37486358 DOI: 10.1021/acs.nanolett.3c01540] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/25/2023]
Abstract
We demonstrate enhanced electronic transport through dimer molecular junctions, which self-assemble between two gold electrodes in π-π stabilized binding configurations. Single molecule junction conductance measurements show that benzimidazole molecules assemble into dimer junctions with a per-molecule conductance that is higher than that in monomer junctions. Density functional theory calculations reveal that parallel stacking of two benzimidazoles between electrodes is the most energetically favorable due to the large π system. Imidazole is smaller and has greater conformational freedom to access different stacking angles. Transport calculations confirm that the conductance enhancement of benzimidazole dimers results from the changed binding geometry of dimers on gold, which is stabilized and made energetically accessible by intermolecular π stacking. We engineer imidazole derivatives with higher monomer conductance than benzimidazole and large intermolecular interaction that promote cooperative in situ assembly of more transparent dimer junctions and suggest at the potential of molecular devices based on self-assembled molecular layers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoyun Pan
- Department of Chemistry, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts 02155, United States
| | - Enrique Montes
- Institute of Physics, Czech Academy of Sciences, Cukrovarnická 10, Prague CZ-162 00, Czech Republic
| | - Wudmir Y Rojas
- Institute of Physics, Czech Academy of Sciences, Cukrovarnická 10, Prague CZ-162 00, Czech Republic
| | - Brent Lawson
- Department of Physics, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts 02155, United States
| | - Héctor Vázquez
- Institute of Physics, Czech Academy of Sciences, Cukrovarnická 10, Prague CZ-162 00, Czech Republic
| | - Maria Kamenetska
- Department of Chemistry, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts 02155, United States
- Department of Physics, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts 02155, United States
- Division of Material Science and Engineering, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts 02155, United States
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12
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Gao T, Daaoub A, Pan Z, Hu Y, Yuan S, Li Y, Dong G, Huang R, Liu J, Sangtarash S, Shi J, Yang Y, Sadeghi H, Hong W. Supramolecular Radical Electronics. J Am Chem Soc 2023; 145:17232-17241. [PMID: 37493612 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.3c04323] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/27/2023]
Abstract
Supramolecular radical chemistry is an emerging area bridging supramolecular chemistry and radical chemistry, and the integration of radicals into the supramolecular architecture offers a new dimension for tuning their structures and functions. Although various efforts have been devoted to the fabrication of supramolecular junctions, the charge transport characterization through the supramolecular radicals remained unexplored due to the challenges in creating supramolecular radicals at the single-molecule level. Here, we demonstrate the fabrication and charge transport investigation of a supramolecular radical junction using the electrochemical scanning tunneling microscope-based break junction (EC-STM-BJ) technique. We found that the conductance of a supramolecular radical junction was more than 1 order of magnitude higher than that of a supramolecular junction without a radical and even higher than that of a fully conjugated oligophenylenediamine molecule with a similar length. The combined experimental and theoretical investigations revealed that the radical increased the binding energy and decreased the energy gap in the supramolecular radical junction, which leads to the near-resonant transport through the supramolecular radical. Our work demonstrated that the supramolecular radical can provide not only strong binding but also efficient electrical coupling between building blocks, which provides new insights into supramolecular radical chemistry and new materials with supramolecular radicals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tengyang Gao
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering & Pen-Tung Sah Institute of Micro-Nano Science and Technology & Institute of Artificial Intelligence & IKKEM, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, China
| | - Abdalghani Daaoub
- Device Modelling Group, School of Engineering, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL, United Kingdom
| | - Zhichao Pan
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering & Pen-Tung Sah Institute of Micro-Nano Science and Technology & Institute of Artificial Intelligence & IKKEM, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, China
| | - Yong Hu
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering & Pen-Tung Sah Institute of Micro-Nano Science and Technology & Institute of Artificial Intelligence & IKKEM, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, China
| | - Saisai Yuan
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering & Pen-Tung Sah Institute of Micro-Nano Science and Technology & Institute of Artificial Intelligence & IKKEM, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, China
| | - Yaoguang Li
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering & Pen-Tung Sah Institute of Micro-Nano Science and Technology & Institute of Artificial Intelligence & IKKEM, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, China
| | - Gang Dong
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering & Pen-Tung Sah Institute of Micro-Nano Science and Technology & Institute of Artificial Intelligence & IKKEM, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, China
| | - Ruiyun Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering & Pen-Tung Sah Institute of Micro-Nano Science and Technology & Institute of Artificial Intelligence & IKKEM, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, China
| | - Junyang Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering & Pen-Tung Sah Institute of Micro-Nano Science and Technology & Institute of Artificial Intelligence & IKKEM, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, China
| | - Sara Sangtarash
- Device Modelling Group, School of Engineering, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL, United Kingdom
| | - Jia Shi
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering & Pen-Tung Sah Institute of Micro-Nano Science and Technology & Institute of Artificial Intelligence & IKKEM, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, China
| | - Yang Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering & Pen-Tung Sah Institute of Micro-Nano Science and Technology & Institute of Artificial Intelligence & IKKEM, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, China
| | - Hatef Sadeghi
- Device Modelling Group, School of Engineering, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL, United Kingdom
| | - Wenjing Hong
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering & Pen-Tung Sah Institute of Micro-Nano Science and Technology & Institute of Artificial Intelligence & IKKEM, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, China
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13
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Li T, Bandari VK, Schmidt OG. Molecular Electronics: Creating and Bridging Molecular Junctions and Promoting Its Commercialization. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2023; 35:e2209088. [PMID: 36512432 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202209088] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2022] [Revised: 11/28/2022] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
Molecular electronics is driven by the dream of expanding Moore's law to the molecular level for next-generation electronics through incorporating individual or ensemble molecules into electronic circuits. For nearly 50 years, numerous efforts have been made to explore the intrinsic properties of molecules and develop diverse fascinating molecular electronic devices with the desired functionalities. The flourishing of molecular electronics is inseparable from the development of various elegant methodologies for creating nanogap electrodes and bridging the nanogap with molecules. This review first focuses on the techniques for making lateral and vertical nanogap electrodes by breaking, narrowing, and fixed modes, and highlights their capabilities, applications, merits, and shortcomings. After summarizing the approaches of growing single molecules or molecular layers on the electrodes, the methods of constructing a complete molecular circuit are comprehensively grouped into three categories: 1) directly bridging one-molecule-electrode component with another electrode, 2) physically bridging two-molecule-electrode components, and 3) chemically bridging two-molecule-electrode components. Finally, the current state of molecular circuit integration and commercialization is discussed and perspectives are provided, hoping to encourage the community to accelerate the realization of fully scalable molecular electronics for a new era of integrated microsystems and applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tianming Li
- Research Center for Materials, Architectures and Integration of Nanomembranes (MAIN), Chemnitz University of Technology, 09126, Chemnitz, Germany
- Material Systems for Nanoelectronics, Chemnitz University of Technology, 09111, Chemnitz, Germany
| | - Vineeth Kumar Bandari
- Research Center for Materials, Architectures and Integration of Nanomembranes (MAIN), Chemnitz University of Technology, 09126, Chemnitz, Germany
- Material Systems for Nanoelectronics, Chemnitz University of Technology, 09111, Chemnitz, Germany
| | - Oliver G Schmidt
- Research Center for Materials, Architectures and Integration of Nanomembranes (MAIN), Chemnitz University of Technology, 09126, Chemnitz, Germany
- Material Systems for Nanoelectronics, Chemnitz University of Technology, 09111, Chemnitz, Germany
- Nanophysics, Dresden University of Technology, 01069, Dresden, Germany
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14
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Li X, Ge W, Guo S, Bai J, Hong W. Characterization and Application of Supramolecular Junctions. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2023; 62:e202216819. [PMID: 36585932 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202216819] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2022] [Revised: 12/28/2022] [Accepted: 12/29/2022] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
The convergence of supramolecular chemistry and single-molecule electronics offers a new perspective on supramolecular electronics, and provides a new avenue toward understanding and application of intermolecular charge transport at the molecular level. In this review, we will provide an overview of the advances in the characterization technique for the investigation of intermolecular charge transport, and summarize the experimental investigation of several non-covalent interactions, including π-π stacking interactions, hydrogen bonding, host-guest interactions and σ-σ interactions at the single-molecule level. We will also provide a perspective on supramolecular electronics and discuss the potential applications and future challenges.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaohui Li
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering & College of Materials & IKKEM, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005, China
| | - Wenhui Ge
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering & College of Materials & IKKEM, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005, China
| | - Shuhan Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering & College of Materials & IKKEM, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005, China
| | - Jie Bai
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering & College of Materials & IKKEM, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005, China
| | - Wenjing Hong
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering & College of Materials & IKKEM, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005, China
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15
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Li X, Zhou S, Zhao Q, Chen Y, Qi P, Zhang Y, Wang L, Guo C, Chen S. Supramolecular Enhancement of Charge Transport through Pillar[5]arene-Based Self-Assembled Monolayers. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2023; 62:e202216987. [PMID: 36728903 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202216987] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2022] [Revised: 01/15/2023] [Accepted: 02/02/2023] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
Intermolecular charge transport is one of the essential modes for modulating charge transport in molecular electronic devices. Supermolecules are highly promising candidates for molecular devices because of their abundant structures and easy functionalization. Herein, we report an efficient strategy to enhance charge transport through pillar[5]arene self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) by introducing cationic guests. The current density of pillar[5]arene SAMs can be raised up to about 2.1 orders of magnitude by inserting cationic molecules into the cavity of pillar[5]arenes in SAMs. Importantly, we have also observed a positive correlation between the charge transport of pillar[5]arene-based complex SAMs and the binding affinities of the pillar[5]arene-based complexation. Such an enhancement of charge transport is attributed to the efficient host-guest interactions that stabilize the supramolecular complexes and lower the energy gaps for charge transport. This work provides a predictive pattern for the regulation of intermolecular charge transport in guiding the design of next generation switches and functional sensors in supramolecular electronics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaobing Li
- College of Chemistry and Molecular Sciences, Wuhan University, 299 Bayi Road, Wuhan, Hubei, 430072, China
| | - Siyuan Zhou
- The Institute for Advanced Studies, Wuhan University, 299 Bayi Road, Wuhan, Hubei, 430072, China
| | - Qi Zhao
- The Institute for Advanced Studies, Wuhan University, 299 Bayi Road, Wuhan, Hubei, 430072, China
| | - Yi Chen
- The Institute for Advanced Studies, Wuhan University, 299 Bayi Road, Wuhan, Hubei, 430072, China
| | - Pan Qi
- College of Chemistry and Molecular Sciences, Wuhan University, 299 Bayi Road, Wuhan, Hubei, 430072, China
| | - Yongkang Zhang
- College of Chemistry and Molecular Sciences, Wuhan University, 299 Bayi Road, Wuhan, Hubei, 430072, China
| | - Lu Wang
- The Institute for Advanced Studies, Wuhan University, 299 Bayi Road, Wuhan, Hubei, 430072, China
| | - Cunlan Guo
- College of Chemistry and Molecular Sciences, Wuhan University, 299 Bayi Road, Wuhan, Hubei, 430072, China
| | - Shigui Chen
- The Institute for Advanced Studies, Wuhan University, 299 Bayi Road, Wuhan, Hubei, 430072, China
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16
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Zhang C, Cheng J, Wu Q, Hou S, Feng S, Jiang B, Lambert CJ, Gao X, Li Y, Li J. Enhanced π-π Stacking between Dipole-Bearing Single Molecules Revealed by Conductance Measurement. J Am Chem Soc 2023; 145:1617-1630. [PMID: 36625785 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.2c09656] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
Dipoles are widely involved in π-π interactions and are central to many chemical and biological functions, but their influence on the strength of π-π interactions remains unclear. Here, we report a study of π-π interaction between azulene-based, polar single molecules and between naphthalene-based, nonpolar single molecules. By performing scanning tunneling microscopy break junction measurements of single-molecule conductance, we show that the π-stacked dimers formed by the azulene-based, polar aromatic structures feature higher electrical conductivity and mechanical stability than those formed by the naphthalene-based, nonpolar molecules. Mechanical control of π-π interactions in both rotational and translational motion reveals a sensitive dependence of the stacking strength on relative alignment between the dipoles. The antiparallel alignment of the dipoles was found to be the optimal stacking configuration that underpins the observed enhancement of π-π stacking between azulene-based single molecules. Density functional theory calculations further explained the observed enhancement of stacking strength and the corresponding charge transport efficiency. Our experimental and theoretical results show that the antiparallel alignment of the dipole moments significantly enhances the electronic coupling and mechanical stability of π-π stacking. In addition, in the formation of single-molecule junctions, the azulene group was experimentally and theoretically proved to form a Au-π contact with electrodes with high charge transport efficiency. This paper provides evidence and interpretation of the role of dipoles in π-π interactions at the single-molecule level and offers new insights into potential applications in supramolecular devices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chengyang Zhang
- Center for Bioanalytical Chemistry, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei230026, China
| | - Jie Cheng
- Key Laboratory of Synthetic and Self-Assembly Chemistry for Organic Functional Molecules, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai200032, China
| | - Qingqing Wu
- Department of Physics, Lancaster University, LancasterLA1 4YB, U.K
| | - Songjun Hou
- Department of Physics, Lancaster University, LancasterLA1 4YB, U.K
| | - Sai Feng
- Center for Bioanalytical Chemistry, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei230026, China
| | - Bo Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Life Science, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing210023, China
| | - Colin J Lambert
- Department of Physics, Lancaster University, LancasterLA1 4YB, U.K
| | - Xike Gao
- Key Laboratory of Synthetic and Self-Assembly Chemistry for Organic Functional Molecules, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai200032, China
| | - Yueqi Li
- Center for Bioanalytical Chemistry, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei230026, China
| | - Jinghong Li
- Center for Bioanalytical Chemistry, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei230026, China.,Department of Chemistry, Key Lab of Bioorganic Phosphorus Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Tsinghua University, Beijing100084, China
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17
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Li P, Hou S, Alharbi B, Wu Q, Chen Y, Zhou L, Gao T, Li R, Yang L, Chang X, Dong G, Liu X, Decurtins S, Liu SX, Hong W, Lambert CJ, Jia C, Guo X. Quantum Interference-Controlled Conductance Enhancement in Stacked Graphene-like Dimers. J Am Chem Soc 2022; 144:15689-15697. [PMID: 35930760 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.2c05909] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Stacking interactions are of significant importance in the fields of chemistry, biology, and material optoelectronics because they determine the efficiency of charge transfer between molecules and their quantum states. Previous studies have proven that when two monomers are π-stacked in series to form a dimer, the electrical conductance of the dimer is significantly lower than that of the monomer. Here, we present a strong opposite case that when two anthanthrene monomers are π-stacked to form a dimer in a scanning tunneling microscopic break junction, the conductance increases by as much as 25 in comparison with a monomer, which originates from a room-temperature quantum interference. Remarkably, both theory and experiment consistently reveal that this effect can be reversed by changing the connectivity of external electrodes to the monomer core. These results demonstrate that synthetic control of connectivity to molecular cores can be combined with stacking interactions between their π systems to modify and optimize charge transfer between molecules, opening up a wide variety of potential applications ranging from organic optoelectronics and photovoltaics to nanoelectronics and single-molecule electronics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peihui Li
- Center of Single-Molecule Sciences, Institute of Modern Optics, Frontiers Science Center for New Organic Matter, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Micro-scale Optical Information Science and Technology, College of Electronic Information and Optical Engineering, Nankai University, 38 Tongyan Road, Jinnan District, Tianjin 300350, P. R. China
| | - Songjun Hou
- Department of Physics, Lancaster University, Lancaster LA1 4YB, UK
| | - Bader Alharbi
- Department of Physics, Lancaster University, Lancaster LA1 4YB, UK.,Department of Physics, Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University, Alkharj 16278, Saudi Arabia
| | - Qingqing Wu
- Department of Physics, Lancaster University, Lancaster LA1 4YB, UK
| | - Yijian Chen
- Center of Single-Molecule Sciences, Institute of Modern Optics, Frontiers Science Center for New Organic Matter, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Micro-scale Optical Information Science and Technology, College of Electronic Information and Optical Engineering, Nankai University, 38 Tongyan Road, Jinnan District, Tianjin 300350, P. R. China
| | - Li Zhou
- Center of Single-Molecule Sciences, Institute of Modern Optics, Frontiers Science Center for New Organic Matter, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Micro-scale Optical Information Science and Technology, College of Electronic Information and Optical Engineering, Nankai University, 38 Tongyan Road, Jinnan District, Tianjin 300350, P. R. China
| | - Tengyang Gao
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, P. R. China
| | - Ruihao Li
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, P. R. China
| | - Lan Yang
- Center of Single-Molecule Sciences, Institute of Modern Optics, Frontiers Science Center for New Organic Matter, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Micro-scale Optical Information Science and Technology, College of Electronic Information and Optical Engineering, Nankai University, 38 Tongyan Road, Jinnan District, Tianjin 300350, P. R. China
| | - Xinyue Chang
- Center of Single-Molecule Sciences, Institute of Modern Optics, Frontiers Science Center for New Organic Matter, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Micro-scale Optical Information Science and Technology, College of Electronic Information and Optical Engineering, Nankai University, 38 Tongyan Road, Jinnan District, Tianjin 300350, P. R. China
| | - Gang Dong
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, P. R. China
| | - Xunshan Liu
- Department of Chemistry, Biochemistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Bern, Freiestrasse 3, CH-3012 Bern, Switzerland.,Department of Chemistry, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, Hangzhou 310018, P. R. China
| | - Silvio Decurtins
- Department of Chemistry, Biochemistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Bern, Freiestrasse 3, CH-3012 Bern, Switzerland
| | - Shi-Xia Liu
- Department of Chemistry, Biochemistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Bern, Freiestrasse 3, CH-3012 Bern, Switzerland
| | - Wenjing Hong
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, P. R. China
| | - Colin J Lambert
- Department of Physics, Lancaster University, Lancaster LA1 4YB, UK
| | - Chuancheng Jia
- Center of Single-Molecule Sciences, Institute of Modern Optics, Frontiers Science Center for New Organic Matter, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Micro-scale Optical Information Science and Technology, College of Electronic Information and Optical Engineering, Nankai University, 38 Tongyan Road, Jinnan District, Tianjin 300350, P. R. China.,Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, National Biomedical Imaging Center, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, 292 Chengfu Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100871, P. R. China
| | - Xuefeng Guo
- Center of Single-Molecule Sciences, Institute of Modern Optics, Frontiers Science Center for New Organic Matter, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Micro-scale Optical Information Science and Technology, College of Electronic Information and Optical Engineering, Nankai University, 38 Tongyan Road, Jinnan District, Tianjin 300350, P. R. China.,Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, National Biomedical Imaging Center, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, 292 Chengfu Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100871, P. R. China
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18
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Feng A, Zhou Y, Al-Shebami MAY, Chen L, Pan Z, Xu W, Zhao S, Zeng B, Xiao Z, Yang Y, Hong W. σ-σ Stacked supramolecular junctions. Nat Chem 2022; 14:1158-1164. [PMID: 35902741 DOI: 10.1038/s41557-022-01003-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2021] [Accepted: 06/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Intermolecular charge transport plays an essential role in organic electronic materials and biological systems. To date, experimental investigations of intermolecular charge transport in molecular materials and electronic devices have been restricted to conjugated systems in which π-π stacking interactions are involved. Herein we demonstrate that the σ-σ stacking interactions between neighbouring non-conjugated molecules offer an efficient pathway for charge transport through supramolecular junctions. The conductance of σ-σ stacked molecular junctions formed between two non-conjugated cyclohexanethiol or single-anchored adamantane molecules is comparable to that of π-π stacked molecular junctions formed between π-conjugated benzene rings. The current-voltage characteristics and flicker noise analysis demonstrate the existence of stacked molecular junctions formed between the electrode pairs and exhibit the characteristics of through-space charge transport. Density functional theory calculations combined with the non-equilibrium Green's function method reveal that efficient charge transport occurs between two molecules configured with σ-σ stacking interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anni Feng
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering & Innovation Laboratory for Sciences and Technologies of Energy Materials of Fujian Province (IKKEM) & Pen-Tung Sah Institute of Micro-Nano Science and Technology, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Yu Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering & Innovation Laboratory for Sciences and Technologies of Energy Materials of Fujian Province (IKKEM) & Pen-Tung Sah Institute of Micro-Nano Science and Technology, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Mohammed A Y Al-Shebami
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering & Innovation Laboratory for Sciences and Technologies of Energy Materials of Fujian Province (IKKEM) & Pen-Tung Sah Institute of Micro-Nano Science and Technology, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Lichuan Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering & Innovation Laboratory for Sciences and Technologies of Energy Materials of Fujian Province (IKKEM) & Pen-Tung Sah Institute of Micro-Nano Science and Technology, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Zhichao Pan
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering & Innovation Laboratory for Sciences and Technologies of Energy Materials of Fujian Province (IKKEM) & Pen-Tung Sah Institute of Micro-Nano Science and Technology, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Wei Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering & Innovation Laboratory for Sciences and Technologies of Energy Materials of Fujian Province (IKKEM) & Pen-Tung Sah Institute of Micro-Nano Science and Technology, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Shiqiang Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering & Innovation Laboratory for Sciences and Technologies of Energy Materials of Fujian Province (IKKEM) & Pen-Tung Sah Institute of Micro-Nano Science and Technology, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Biaofeng Zeng
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering & Innovation Laboratory for Sciences and Technologies of Energy Materials of Fujian Province (IKKEM) & Pen-Tung Sah Institute of Micro-Nano Science and Technology, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Zongyuan Xiao
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering & Innovation Laboratory for Sciences and Technologies of Energy Materials of Fujian Province (IKKEM) & Pen-Tung Sah Institute of Micro-Nano Science and Technology, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Yang Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering & Innovation Laboratory for Sciences and Technologies of Energy Materials of Fujian Province (IKKEM) & Pen-Tung Sah Institute of Micro-Nano Science and Technology, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China.
| | - Wenjing Hong
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering & Innovation Laboratory for Sciences and Technologies of Energy Materials of Fujian Province (IKKEM) & Pen-Tung Sah Institute of Micro-Nano Science and Technology, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China.
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19
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Li P, Zhou L, Zhao C, Ju H, Gao Q, Si W, Cheng L, Hao J, Li M, Chen Y, Jia C, Guo X. Single-molecule nano-optoelectronics: insights from physics. REPORTS ON PROGRESS IN PHYSICS. PHYSICAL SOCIETY (GREAT BRITAIN) 2022; 85:086401. [PMID: 35623319 DOI: 10.1088/1361-6633/ac7401] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2021] [Accepted: 05/27/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Single-molecule optoelectronic devices promise a potential solution for miniaturization and functionalization of silicon-based microelectronic circuits in the future. For decades of its fast development, this field has made significant progress in the synthesis of optoelectronic materials, the fabrication of single-molecule devices and the realization of optoelectronic functions. On the other hand, single-molecule optoelectronic devices offer a reliable platform to investigate the intrinsic physical phenomena and regulation rules of matters at the single-molecule level. To further realize and regulate the optoelectronic functions toward practical applications, it is necessary to clarify the intrinsic physical mechanisms of single-molecule optoelectronic nanodevices. Here, we provide a timely review to survey the physical phenomena and laws involved in single-molecule optoelectronic materials and devices, including charge effects, spin effects, exciton effects, vibronic effects, structural and orbital effects. In particular, we will systematically summarize the basics of molecular optoelectronic materials, and the physical effects and manipulations of single-molecule optoelectronic nanodevices. In addition, fundamentals of single-molecule electronics, which are basic of single-molecule optoelectronics, can also be found in this review. At last, we tend to focus the discussion on the opportunities and challenges arising in the field of single-molecule optoelectronics, and propose further potential breakthroughs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peihui Li
- Center of Single-Molecule Sciences, Institute of Modern Optics, Frontiers Science Center for New Organic Matter, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Micro-Scale Optical Information Science and Technology, College of Electronic Information and Optical Engineering, Nankai University, 38 Tongyan Road, Jinnan District, Tianjin 300350, People's Republic of China
| | - Li Zhou
- Center of Single-Molecule Sciences, Institute of Modern Optics, Frontiers Science Center for New Organic Matter, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Micro-Scale Optical Information Science and Technology, College of Electronic Information and Optical Engineering, Nankai University, 38 Tongyan Road, Jinnan District, Tianjin 300350, People's Republic of China
| | - Cong Zhao
- Center of Single-Molecule Sciences, Institute of Modern Optics, Frontiers Science Center for New Organic Matter, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Micro-Scale Optical Information Science and Technology, College of Electronic Information and Optical Engineering, Nankai University, 38 Tongyan Road, Jinnan District, Tianjin 300350, People's Republic of China
| | - Hongyu Ju
- Center of Single-Molecule Sciences, Institute of Modern Optics, Frontiers Science Center for New Organic Matter, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Micro-Scale Optical Information Science and Technology, College of Electronic Information and Optical Engineering, Nankai University, 38 Tongyan Road, Jinnan District, Tianjin 300350, People's Republic of China
- School of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, Tianjin University, 92 Weijin Road, Nankai District, Tianjin 300072, People's Republic of China
| | - Qinghua Gao
- Center of Single-Molecule Sciences, Institute of Modern Optics, Frontiers Science Center for New Organic Matter, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Micro-Scale Optical Information Science and Technology, College of Electronic Information and Optical Engineering, Nankai University, 38 Tongyan Road, Jinnan District, Tianjin 300350, People's Republic of China
| | - Wei Si
- Center of Single-Molecule Sciences, Institute of Modern Optics, Frontiers Science Center for New Organic Matter, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Micro-Scale Optical Information Science and Technology, College of Electronic Information and Optical Engineering, Nankai University, 38 Tongyan Road, Jinnan District, Tianjin 300350, People's Republic of China
| | - Li Cheng
- Center of Single-Molecule Sciences, Institute of Modern Optics, Frontiers Science Center for New Organic Matter, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Micro-Scale Optical Information Science and Technology, College of Electronic Information and Optical Engineering, Nankai University, 38 Tongyan Road, Jinnan District, Tianjin 300350, People's Republic of China
| | - Jie Hao
- Center of Single-Molecule Sciences, Institute of Modern Optics, Frontiers Science Center for New Organic Matter, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Micro-Scale Optical Information Science and Technology, College of Electronic Information and Optical Engineering, Nankai University, 38 Tongyan Road, Jinnan District, Tianjin 300350, People's Republic of China
| | - Mengmeng Li
- Center of Single-Molecule Sciences, Institute of Modern Optics, Frontiers Science Center for New Organic Matter, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Micro-Scale Optical Information Science and Technology, College of Electronic Information and Optical Engineering, Nankai University, 38 Tongyan Road, Jinnan District, Tianjin 300350, People's Republic of China
| | - Yijian Chen
- Center of Single-Molecule Sciences, Institute of Modern Optics, Frontiers Science Center for New Organic Matter, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Micro-Scale Optical Information Science and Technology, College of Electronic Information and Optical Engineering, Nankai University, 38 Tongyan Road, Jinnan District, Tianjin 300350, People's Republic of China
| | - Chuancheng Jia
- Center of Single-Molecule Sciences, Institute of Modern Optics, Frontiers Science Center for New Organic Matter, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Micro-Scale Optical Information Science and Technology, College of Electronic Information and Optical Engineering, Nankai University, 38 Tongyan Road, Jinnan District, Tianjin 300350, People's Republic of China
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, National Biomedical Imaging Center, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, 292 Chengfu Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100871, People's Republic of China
| | - Xuefeng Guo
- Center of Single-Molecule Sciences, Institute of Modern Optics, Frontiers Science Center for New Organic Matter, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Micro-Scale Optical Information Science and Technology, College of Electronic Information and Optical Engineering, Nankai University, 38 Tongyan Road, Jinnan District, Tianjin 300350, People's Republic of China
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, National Biomedical Imaging Center, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, 292 Chengfu Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100871, People's Republic of China
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20
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Li R, Zhou Y, Ge W, Zheng J, Zhu Y, Bai J, Li X, Lin L, Duan H, Shi J, Yang Y, Liu J, Liu Z, Hong W. Strain of Supramolecular Interactions in Single‐Stacking Junctions. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2022; 61:e202200191. [DOI: 10.1002/anie.202200191] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Ruihao Li
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering Xiamen University Xiamen 361005 China
| | - Yu Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering Xiamen University Xiamen 361005 China
| | - Wenhui Ge
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering Xiamen University Xiamen 361005 China
| | - Jueting Zheng
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering Xiamen University Xiamen 361005 China
| | - Yixuan Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering Xiamen University Xiamen 361005 China
| | - Jie Bai
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering Xiamen University Xiamen 361005 China
| | - Xiaohui Li
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering Xiamen University Xiamen 361005 China
| | - Luchun Lin
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering Xiamen University Xiamen 361005 China
| | - Huicong Duan
- Institute of Artificial Intelligence Xiamen University Xiamen 361005 China
| | - Jia Shi
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering Xiamen University Xiamen 361005 China
- Institute of Artificial Intelligence Xiamen University Xiamen 361005 China
| | - Yang Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering Xiamen University Xiamen 361005 China
- Institute of Artificial Intelligence Xiamen University Xiamen 361005 China
| | - Junyang Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering Xiamen University Xiamen 361005 China
- Institute of Artificial Intelligence Xiamen University Xiamen 361005 China
| | - Zitong Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Applied Organic Chemistry (SKLAOC) College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering Lanzhou University Lanzhou 730000 China
| | - Wenjing Hong
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering Xiamen University Xiamen 361005 China
- Institute of Artificial Intelligence Xiamen University Xiamen 361005 China
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21
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Zhang H, Xu W, Song K, Lu T, Zhang G, Zang Y, Hong W, Zhang D. Dual Modulation of Single Molecule Conductance via Tuning Side Chains and Electric Field with Conjugated Molecules Entailing Intramolecular O•••S Interactions. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2022; 9:e2105667. [PMID: 35434941 PMCID: PMC9189668 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202105667] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2021] [Revised: 02/21/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Herein, single-molecule conductance studies of TBT1-TBT6 which entails 1,4-dithienylbenzene as the backbone and SMe groups as the anchoring units, with the scanning tunneling microscope break junction (STM-BJ) technique, are reported. The molecular conductance of TBT1 with intramolecular O•••S noncovalent interactions is enhanced by about one order of magnitude in comparison to their analogue TBT2 (which contains alkyl instead of alkoxy chains). By replacing the methoxy groups in TBT1 with extending alkoxy chains in TBT3, TBT4, and TBT5, the molecular backbones become twisted and as a consequence the single-molecule conductance decreases gradually, showing that the intramolecular O•••S noncovalent interaction is influenced by the structural features of alkoxy chains. More importantly, the single-molecule conductance of TBT3, TBT4, and TBT5 can be boosted by increasing the electric field applied to the molecular junctions. Remarkably, the conductance of TBT3, TBT4, and TBT5 can be reversibly modulated due to the conformational changes between twisted and planar ones by varying the electric field. These results demonstrate that molecules with intramolecular O•••S noncovalent interactions have the potential for in situ control of the electrical properties of molecular-scale devices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hua Zhang
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular SciencesOrganic Solids LaboratoryInstitute of ChemistryChinese Academy of SciencesBeijing100190China
- School of Chemical SciencesUniversity of Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijing100049China
| | - Wei Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid SurfacesCollege of Chemistry and Chemical EngineeringXiamen UniversityXiamen361005China
| | - Kai Song
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular SciencesOrganic Solids LaboratoryInstitute of ChemistryChinese Academy of SciencesBeijing100190China
| | - Taige Lu
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid SurfacesCollege of Chemistry and Chemical EngineeringXiamen UniversityXiamen361005China
| | - Guanxin Zhang
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular SciencesOrganic Solids LaboratoryInstitute of ChemistryChinese Academy of SciencesBeijing100190China
- School of Chemical SciencesUniversity of Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijing100049China
| | - Yaping Zang
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular SciencesOrganic Solids LaboratoryInstitute of ChemistryChinese Academy of SciencesBeijing100190China
- School of Chemical SciencesUniversity of Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijing100049China
| | - Wenjing Hong
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid SurfacesCollege of Chemistry and Chemical EngineeringXiamen UniversityXiamen361005China
| | - Deqing Zhang
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular SciencesOrganic Solids LaboratoryInstitute of ChemistryChinese Academy of SciencesBeijing100190China
- School of Chemical SciencesUniversity of Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijing100049China
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22
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Using automated synthesis to understand the role of side chains on molecular charge transport. Nat Commun 2022; 13:2102. [PMID: 35440635 PMCID: PMC9019014 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-29796-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2021] [Accepted: 03/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The development of next-generation organic electronic materials critically relies on understanding structure-function relationships in conjugated polymers. However, unlocking the full potential of organic materials requires access to their vast chemical space while efficiently managing the large synthetic workload to survey new materials. In this work, we use automated synthesis to prepare a library of conjugated oligomers with systematically varied side chain composition followed by single-molecule characterization of charge transport. Our results show that molecular junctions with long alkyl side chains exhibit a concentration-dependent bimodal conductance with an unexpectedly high conductance state that arises due to surface adsorption and backbone planarization, which is supported by a series of control experiments using asymmetric, planarized, and sterically hindered molecules. Density functional theory simulations and experiments using different anchors and alkoxy side chains highlight the role of side chain chemistry on charge transport. Overall, this work opens new avenues for using automated synthesis for the development and understanding of organic electronic materials. Development of organic electronic materials relies on understanding structure-function relationships in conjugated polymers but the synthetic workload to make large numbers of new compounds presents a practical barrier to properly survey conjugated organic derivatives. Here, the authors use automated synthesis to prepare a library of conjugated oligomers with systematically varied side chain composition followed by single-molecule characterization of charge transport.
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23
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Li R, Zhou Y, Ge W, Zheng J, Zhu Y, Bai J, Li X, Lin L, Duan H, Shi J, Yang Y, Liu J, Liu Z, Hong W. Strain of supramolecular interactions in single‐stacking junctions. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/ange.202200191] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Ruihao Li
- Xiamen University College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering CHINA
| | - Yu Zhou
- Xiamen University College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering CHINA
| | - Wenhui Ge
- Xiamen University College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering CHINA
| | - Jueting Zheng
- Xiamen University College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering CHINA
| | - Yixuan Zhu
- Xiamen University College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering CHINA
| | - Jie Bai
- Xiamen University College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering CHINA
| | - Xiaohui Li
- Xiamen University College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering CHINA
| | - Luchun Lin
- Xiamen University College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering CHINA
| | - Huicong Duan
- Xiamen University Institute of Artifical Intelligence CHINA
| | - Jia Shi
- Xiamen University College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering CHINA
| | - Yang Yang
- Xiamen University College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering CHINA
| | - Junyang Liu
- Xiamen University College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering CHINA
| | - Zitong Liu
- Lanzhou University College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering CHINA
| | - Wenjing Hong
- Xiamen University College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering Siming south road 422 3012 Xiamen CHINA
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24
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Ma J, Shi Y, Wang Z, Wang X, Li Y, Sun M, Guo J, Qian G, Chang S. The effect of non-covalent conformational locks on intra-molecular charge transport of OPV units. Chem Commun (Camb) 2022; 58:3298-3301. [PMID: 35175265 DOI: 10.1039/d1cc06406a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Although organic photovoltaic (OPV) molecules containing non-covalent conformational locks (NCLs) are demonstrated with superior device scale charge transport, the NCLs' working mechanism at the molecular level has not been directly addressed or revealed. Herein, three widely used OPV building blocks DT-BT, DT-FBT, and DT-OBT were prepared and comparatively researched for their intra-molecule charge transport (ICT) based on single molecular conductance measurements and theoretical calculation. The measured conductance (G) of the three molecules displays an order of GDT-BT < GDT-FBT < GDT-OBT, contradicting the conductivity order predicted by tunnelling theory. Further research demonstrated that this change was mainly caused by NCLs embedded in DT-FBT and DT-OBT, resulting in more efficient charge transporting pathways, evidenced by their HOMOs showing hyper-conjugation characteristics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingjing Ma
- The State Key Laboratory of Refractories and Metallurgy, and Institute of Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430081, China.
| | - Yangyang Shi
- The State Key Laboratory of Refractories and Metallurgy, and Institute of Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430081, China.
| | - Zhiye Wang
- The State Key Laboratory of Refractories and Metallurgy, and Institute of Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430081, China.
| | - Xu Wang
- The State Key Laboratory of Refractories and Metallurgy, and Institute of Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430081, China.
| | - Yunchuan Li
- The State Key Laboratory of Refractories and Metallurgy, and Institute of Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430081, China.
| | - Mingjun Sun
- The State Key Laboratory of Refractories and Metallurgy, and Institute of Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430081, China.
| | - Jing Guo
- The State Key Laboratory of Refractories and Metallurgy, and Institute of Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430081, China.
| | - Gongming Qian
- The State Key Laboratory of Refractories and Metallurgy, and Institute of Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430081, China.
| | - Shuai Chang
- The State Key Laboratory of Refractories and Metallurgy, and Institute of Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430081, China.
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25
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Pan Z, Chen L, Tang C, Hu Y, Yuan S, Gao T, Shi J, Shi J, Yang Y, Hong W. The Evolution of the Charge Transport Mechanism in Single-Molecule Break Junctions Revealed by Flicker Noise Analysis. SMALL (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2022; 18:e2107220. [PMID: 34927352 DOI: 10.1002/smll.202107220] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
The electronic noise characterization of single-molecule devices provides insights into the mechanisms of charge transport. In this work, it is reported that flicker noise can serve as an indicator of the time-dependent evolution of charge transport mechanisms in the single-molecule break junction process. By introducing time-frequency analysis, the authors find that flicker noise components of the molecule junction show time evolution behavior in the dynamic break junction process. A further investigation of the power-law dependence of flicker with conductance during the dynamic break junction process reveals that the mechanism of charge transport transits from the through-space transport to the through-bond transport, and is dominated by through-space transport again when the junction is about to rupture. The authors' results provide a flicker noise-based way to characterize the time-dependent evolution of charge transport mechanisms in single-molecule break junctions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhichao Pan
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Pen-Tung Sah Institute of Micro-Nano Science and Technology, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005, China
- Institute of Artificial Intelligence, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005, China
| | - Lichuan Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Pen-Tung Sah Institute of Micro-Nano Science and Technology, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005, China
| | - Chun Tang
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Pen-Tung Sah Institute of Micro-Nano Science and Technology, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005, China
| | - Yong Hu
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Pen-Tung Sah Institute of Micro-Nano Science and Technology, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005, China
- Institute of Artificial Intelligence, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005, China
| | - Saisai Yuan
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Pen-Tung Sah Institute of Micro-Nano Science and Technology, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005, China
| | - Tengyang Gao
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Pen-Tung Sah Institute of Micro-Nano Science and Technology, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005, China
| | - Jie Shi
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Pen-Tung Sah Institute of Micro-Nano Science and Technology, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005, China
- Institute of Artificial Intelligence, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005, China
| | - Jia Shi
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Pen-Tung Sah Institute of Micro-Nano Science and Technology, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005, China
- Institute of Artificial Intelligence, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005, China
| | - Yang Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Pen-Tung Sah Institute of Micro-Nano Science and Technology, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005, China
- Institute of Artificial Intelligence, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005, China
| | - Wenjing Hong
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Pen-Tung Sah Institute of Micro-Nano Science and Technology, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005, China
- Institute of Artificial Intelligence, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005, China
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26
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Yu H, Li J, Li S, Liu Y, Jackson NE, Moore JS, Schroeder CM. Efficient Intermolecular Charge Transport in π-Stacked Pyridinium Dimers Using Cucurbit[8]uril Supramolecular Complexes. J Am Chem Soc 2022; 144:3162-3173. [PMID: 35148096 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.1c12741] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Intermolecular charge transport through π-conjugated molecules plays an essential role in biochemical redox processes and energy storage applications. In this work, we observe highly efficient intermolecular charge transport upon dimerization of pyridinium molecules in the cavity of a synthetic host (cucurbit[8]uril, CB[8]). Stable, homoternary complexes are formed between pyridinium molecules and CB[8] with high binding affinity, resulting in an offset stacked geometry of two pyridiniums inside the host cavity. The charge transport properties of free and dimerized pyridiniums are characterized using a scanning tunneling microscope-break junction (STM-BJ) technique. Our results show that π-stacked pyridinium dimers exhibit comparable molecular conductance to isolated, single pyridinium molecules, despite a longer transport pathway and a switch from intra- to intermolecular charge transport. Control experiments using a CB[8] homologue (cucurbit[7]uril, CB[7]) show that the synthetic host primarily serves to facilitate dimer formation and plays a minimal role on molecular conductance. Molecular modeling using density functional theory (DFT) reveals that pyridinium molecules are planarized upon dimerization inside the host cavity, which facilitates charge transport. In addition, the π-stacked pyridinium dimers possess large intermolecular LUMO-LUMO couplings, leading to enhanced intermolecular charge transport. Overall, this work demonstrates that supramolecular assembly can be used to control intermolecular charge transport in π-stacked molecules.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jialing Li
- Joint Center for Energy Storage Research, Argonne National Laboratory, 9700 South Cass Avenue, Lemont, Illinois 60439, United States
| | | | | | | | - Jeffrey S Moore
- Joint Center for Energy Storage Research, Argonne National Laboratory, 9700 South Cass Avenue, Lemont, Illinois 60439, United States
| | - Charles M Schroeder
- Joint Center for Energy Storage Research, Argonne National Laboratory, 9700 South Cass Avenue, Lemont, Illinois 60439, United States
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27
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Pitié S, Seydou M, Dappe YJ, Martin P, Maurel F, Lacroix JC. Insights on asymmetric BTB-based molecular junctions: Effect of electrode coupling. Chem Phys Lett 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cplett.2021.139273] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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28
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Chen H, Chen Y, Zhang H, Cao W, Fang C, Zhou Y, Xiao Z, Shi J, Chen W, Liu J, Hong W. Quantum interference enhanced thermopower in single-molecule thiophene junctions. CHINESE CHEM LETT 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cclet.2021.06.052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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29
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Yuan S, Qian Q, Zhou Y, Zhao S, Lin L, Duan P, Xu X, Shi J, Xu W, Feng A, Shi J, Yang Y, Hong W. Tracking Confined Reaction Based on Host-Guest Interaction Using Single-Molecule Conductance Measurement. SMALL (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2022; 18:e2104554. [PMID: 34796644 DOI: 10.1002/smll.202104554] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2021] [Revised: 09/30/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
The host-guest interaction acts as an essential part of supramolecular chemistry, which can be applied in confined reaction. However, it is challenging to obtain the dynamic process during confined reactions below micromolar concentrations. In this work, a new method is provided to characterize the dimerization process of the guest 1,2-bis(4-pyridinyl) ethylene in host cucurbit[8]curil using scanning tunneling microscope-break junction (STM-BJ) technique. The guest reaction kinetics is quantitatively by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and in situ single-molecule junctions. It is found that in the single-molecule conductance measurements, the electrical signals of the reactants with a concentration as low as 5 × 10-6 m are clearly detected, and the reaction kinetics at micromolar concentrations are further obtained. However, in NMR measurements, the characteristic peak signal of the reactants is undetectable when the concentration of the reactants is lower than 0.5 × 10-3 m and it cannot be quantified. In addition, the strong electric field from the nanogap accelerates the reaction. This work reveals that single-molecule STM-BJ techniques are more sensitive for tracking confined reactions than that by NMR techniques and can be used to study effect of extremely strong electric field on kinetics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saisai Yuan
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Pen-Tung Sah Institute of Micro-Nano Science and Technology, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005, China
| | - Qiaozan Qian
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Pen-Tung Sah Institute of Micro-Nano Science and Technology, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005, China
| | - Yu Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Pen-Tung Sah Institute of Micro-Nano Science and Technology, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005, China
| | - Shiqiang Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Pen-Tung Sah Institute of Micro-Nano Science and Technology, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005, China
| | - Luchun Lin
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Pen-Tung Sah Institute of Micro-Nano Science and Technology, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005, China
| | - Ping Duan
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Pen-Tung Sah Institute of Micro-Nano Science and Technology, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005, China
| | - Xinghai Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Pen-Tung Sah Institute of Micro-Nano Science and Technology, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005, China
| | - Jie Shi
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Pen-Tung Sah Institute of Micro-Nano Science and Technology, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005, China
| | - Wei Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Pen-Tung Sah Institute of Micro-Nano Science and Technology, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005, China
| | - Anni Feng
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Pen-Tung Sah Institute of Micro-Nano Science and Technology, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005, China
| | - Jia Shi
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Pen-Tung Sah Institute of Micro-Nano Science and Technology, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005, China
| | - Yang Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Pen-Tung Sah Institute of Micro-Nano Science and Technology, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005, China
| | - Wenjing Hong
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Pen-Tung Sah Institute of Micro-Nano Science and Technology, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005, China
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30
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Gao T, He C, Liu C, Fan Y, Zhao C, Zhao C, Su W, Dappe YJ, Yang L. Oligothiophene molecular wires at graphene-based molecular junctions. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2021; 23:21163-21171. [PMID: 34528653 DOI: 10.1039/d1cp03050g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
The use of graphene as a new type of electrode at molecular junctions has led to a renewal of molecular electronics. Indeed, the symmetry breaking induced by the graphene electrode yields different electronic behaviors at the molecular junction and in particular enhanced conductance for longer molecules. In this respect, several studies involving different molecular backbones and anchoring groups have been performed. Here in the same line, we consider oligopthiophene based hybrid gold-graphene junctions and we measure their electrical properties using the STM-I(s) method in order to determine their attenuation factor and the effect of specific anchoring groups. The results are supported by density functional theory (DFT) calculations, and exhibit a similar behavior to what is observed at alkane-based junctions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tingwei Gao
- Department of Chemistry, Xi'an-Jiaotong Liverpool University, Suzhou, 215123, China. .,Department of Chemistry, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, L69 7ZD, UK
| | - Chunhui He
- Department of Chemistry, Xi'an-Jiaotong Liverpool University, Suzhou, 215123, China. .,Department of Chemistry, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, L69 7ZD, UK
| | - Chenguang Liu
- Department of Chemistry, Xi'an-Jiaotong Liverpool University, Suzhou, 215123, China.
| | - Yinqi Fan
- Department of Chemistry, Xi'an-Jiaotong Liverpool University, Suzhou, 215123, China. .,Department of Chemistry, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, L69 7ZD, UK
| | - Cezhou Zhao
- Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Xi'an-Jiaotong Liverpool University, Suzhou, 215123, China
| | - Chun Zhao
- Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Xi'an-Jiaotong Liverpool University, Suzhou, 215123, China
| | - Weitao Su
- College of Materials and Environmental Engineering, Hangzhou Dianzi University, Hangzhou, 310018, China
| | - Yannick J Dappe
- SPEC, CEA, CNRS, Université Paris-Saclay, CEA Saclay, Gif-sur-Yvette Cedex 91191, France
| | - Li Yang
- Department of Chemistry, Xi'an-Jiaotong Liverpool University, Suzhou, 215123, China. .,Department of Chemistry, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, L69 7ZD, UK
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31
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Yuan S, Xu X, Daaoub A, Fang C, Cao W, Chen H, Sangtarash S, Zhang J, Sadeghi H, Hong W. Single-atom control of electrical conductance and thermopower through single-cluster junctions. NANOSCALE 2021; 13:12594-12601. [PMID: 34259698 DOI: 10.1039/d1nr02734d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
The control of single atoms offers fundamental insight into understanding the charge transport through single clusters, and the atomic precision of the clusters provides the opportunity to manipulate the charge transport even at the single-atom level. Herein, we designed and investigated the electrical conductance and thermopower of Anderson-type polyoxometalate (POM) clusters with single-atom variation using the scanning tunneling microscopy break-junction (STM-BJ) technique. Our results show the electrical conductance of single clusters can be changed by an order of magnitude by substituting different center-metal atoms, and the electrical conductance of clusters shows different bias-dependence. Furthermore, the Seebeck coefficients of the POM clusters also can be significantly changed by the center-metal atoms. The non-equilibrium quantum transport calculations reveal that the electrostatic potential profile is non-uniformly dependent on the center-metal atoms. This leads to gating of electrical conductance by bias voltage. This supports the tuning of thermopower and bias dependent transmission spectra. This work provides the fundamental understanding of single-atom control of charge transport in POM single-cluster junctions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saisai Yuan
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Xiamen University Xiamen, 361005, China.
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32
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Yuan S, Gao T, Cao W, Pan Z, Liu J, Shi J, Hong W. The Characterization of Electronic Noise in the Charge Transport through Single-Molecule Junctions. SMALL METHODS 2021; 5:e2001064. [PMID: 34927823 DOI: 10.1002/smtd.202001064] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2020] [Revised: 12/09/2020] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
With the goal of creating single-molecule devices and integrating them into circuits, the emergence of single-molecule electronics provides various techniques for the fabrication of single-molecule junctions and the investigation of charge transport through such junctions. Among the techniques for characterization of charge transport through molecular junctions, electronic noise characterization is an effective strategy with which issues from molecule-electrode interfaces, mechanisms of charge transport, and changes in junction configurations are studied. Electronic noise analysis in single-molecule junctions can be used to identify molecular conformations and even monitor reaction kinetics. This review summarizes the various types of electronic noise that have been characterized during single-molecule electrical detection, including the functions of random telegraph signal (RTS) noise, flicker noise, shot noise, and their corresponding applications, which provide some guidelines for the future application of these techniques to problems of charge transport through single-molecule junctions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saisai Yuan
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering iChEM, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005, China
| | - Tengyang Gao
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering iChEM, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005, China
| | - Wenqiang Cao
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering iChEM, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005, China
| | - Zhichao Pan
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering iChEM, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005, China
| | - Junyang Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering iChEM, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005, China
| | - Jia Shi
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering iChEM, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005, China
| | - Wenjing Hong
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering iChEM, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005, China
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Beijing, 100190, China
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33
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Li J, Shen P, Zhen S, Tang C, Ye Y, Zhou D, Hong W, Zhao Z, Tang BZ. Mechanical single-molecule potentiometers with large switching factors from ortho-pentaphenylene foldamers. Nat Commun 2021; 12:167. [PMID: 33420002 PMCID: PMC7794330 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-20311-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2020] [Accepted: 11/24/2020] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Molecular potentiometers that can indicate displacement-conductance relationship, and predict and control molecular conductance are of significant importance but rarely developed. Herein, single-molecule potentiometers are designed based on ortho-pentaphenylene. The ortho-pentaphenylene derivatives with anchoring groups adopt multiple folded conformers and undergo conformational interconversion in solutions. Solvent-sensitive multiple conductance originating from different conformers is recorded by scanning tunneling microscopy break junction technique. These pseudo-elastic folded molecules can be stretched and compressed by mechanical force along with a variable conductance by up to two orders of magnitude, providing an impressively higher switching factor (114) than the reported values (ca. 1~25). The multichannel conductance governed by through-space and through-bond conducting pathways is rationalized as the charge transport mechanism for the folded ortho-pentaphenylene derivatives. These findings shed light on exploring robust single-molecule potentiometers based on helical structures, and are conducive to fundamental understanding of charge transport in higher-order helical molecules.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinshi Li
- State Key Laboratory of Luminescent Materials and Devices, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Luminescence from Molecular Aggregates, South China University of Technology, 510640, Guangzhou, China
| | - Pingchuan Shen
- State Key Laboratory of Luminescent Materials and Devices, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Luminescence from Molecular Aggregates, South China University of Technology, 510640, Guangzhou, China
| | - Shijie Zhen
- State Key Laboratory of Luminescent Materials and Devices, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Luminescence from Molecular Aggregates, South China University of Technology, 510640, Guangzhou, China
| | - Chun Tang
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, 361005, Xiamen, China
| | - Yiling Ye
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, 361005, Xiamen, China
| | - Dahai Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, 361005, Xiamen, China
| | - Wenjing Hong
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, 361005, Xiamen, China.
| | - Zujin Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Luminescent Materials and Devices, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Luminescence from Molecular Aggregates, South China University of Technology, 510640, Guangzhou, China.
| | - Ben Zhong Tang
- State Key Laboratory of Luminescent Materials and Devices, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Luminescence from Molecular Aggregates, South China University of Technology, 510640, Guangzhou, China
- Department of Chemistry, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China
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34
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Wu C, Bates D, Sangtarash S, Ferri N, Thomas A, Higgins SJ, Robertson CM, Nichols RJ, Sadeghi H, Vezzoli A. Folding a Single-Molecule Junction. NANO LETTERS 2020; 20:7980-7986. [PMID: 33047599 PMCID: PMC7662913 DOI: 10.1021/acs.nanolett.0c02815] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2020] [Revised: 10/07/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Stimuli-responsive molecular junctions, where the conductance can be altered by an external perturbation, are an important class of nanoelectronic devices. These have recently attracted interest as large effects can be introduced through exploitation of quantum phenomena. We show here that significant changes in conductance can be attained as a molecule is repeatedly compressed and relaxed, resulting in molecular folding along a flexible fragment and cycling between an anti and a syn conformation. Power spectral density analysis and DFT transport calculations show that through-space tunneling between two phenyl fragments is responsible for the conductance increase as the molecule is mechanically folded to the syn conformation. This phenomenon represents a novel class of mechanoresistive molecular devices, where the functional moiety is embedded in the conductive backbone and exploits intramolecular nonbonding interactions, in contrast to most studies where mechanoresistivity arises from changes in the molecule-electrode interface.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chuanli Wu
- Department
of Chemistry, University of Liverpool, Crown Street, Liverpool L69 7ZD, United
Kingdom
- School
of Chemistry and Materials Science, Nanjing
Normal University, Nanjing 210023, People’s Republic
of China
| | - Demetris Bates
- Department
of Chemistry, University of Liverpool, Crown Street, Liverpool L69 7ZD, United
Kingdom
| | - Sara Sangtarash
- School
of Engineering, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL, United Kingdom
| | - Nicoló Ferri
- Department
of Chemistry, University of Liverpool, Crown Street, Liverpool L69 7ZD, United
Kingdom
| | - Aidan Thomas
- Department
of Chemistry, University of Liverpool, Crown Street, Liverpool L69 7ZD, United
Kingdom
| | - Simon J. Higgins
- Department
of Chemistry, University of Liverpool, Crown Street, Liverpool L69 7ZD, United
Kingdom
| | - Craig M. Robertson
- Department
of Chemistry, University of Liverpool, Crown Street, Liverpool L69 7ZD, United
Kingdom
| | - Richard J. Nichols
- Department
of Chemistry, University of Liverpool, Crown Street, Liverpool L69 7ZD, United
Kingdom
| | - Hatef Sadeghi
- School
of Engineering, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL, United Kingdom
| | - Andrea Vezzoli
- Department
of Chemistry, University of Liverpool, Crown Street, Liverpool L69 7ZD, United
Kingdom
- Stephenson
Institute for Renewable Energy, University
of Liverpool, Peach Street, Liverpool L69 7ZF, United Kingdom
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35
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Tang Y, Zhou Y, Zhou D, Chen Y, Xiao Z, Shi J, Liu J, Hong W. Electric Field-Induced Assembly in Single-Stacking Terphenyl Junctions. J Am Chem Soc 2020; 142:19101-19109. [DOI: 10.1021/jacs.0c07348] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Yongxiang Tang
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, iChEM, NEL, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, China
| | - Yu Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, iChEM, NEL, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, China
| | - Dahai Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, iChEM, NEL, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, China
| | - Yaorong Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, iChEM, NEL, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, China
| | - Zongyuan Xiao
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, iChEM, NEL, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, China
| | - Jia Shi
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, iChEM, NEL, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, China
| | - Junyang Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, iChEM, NEL, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, China
| | - Wenjing Hong
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, iChEM, NEL, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, China
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36
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Zhuang X, Zhang A, Qiu S, Tang C, Zhao S, Li H, Zhang Y, Wang Y, Wang B, Fang B, Hong W. Coenzyme Coupling Boosts Charge Transport through Single Bioactive Enzyme Junctions. iScience 2020; 23:101001. [PMID: 32259671 PMCID: PMC7136626 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2020.101001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2020] [Revised: 03/09/2020] [Accepted: 03/18/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Oxidation of formate to CO2 is catalyzed via the donation of electrons from formate dehydrogenase (FDH) to nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+), and thus the charge transport characteristics of FDH become essential but remain unexplored. Here, we investigated the charge transport through single-enzyme junctions of FDH using the scanning tunneling microscope break junction technique (STM-BJ). We found that the coupling of NAD+ with FDH boosts the charge transport by ∼2,100%, and the single-enzyme conductance highly correlates with the enzyme activity. The combined flicker noise analysis demonstrated the switching of the coenzyme-mediated charge transport pathway and supported by the significantly reduced HOMO-LUMO gap from calculations. Site-specific mutagenesis analysis demonstrated that FDH-NAD+ stably combined own higher bioactivity and boosts charge transport, and the coupling has been optimized via the natural selection. Our work provides evidence of hydrogen bond coupling in bioactivity but also bridges the charge transport through single-enzyme junctions and enzyme activities. Binding of NAD+ with FDH boosts the charge transport by more than 2,100% Single-enzyme conductance highly correlates with the enzyme activity Hydrogen bond bridges the charge transport and enzyme activities Experiments combined with calculations probe switching of charge transport pathway
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoyan Zhuang
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, China; The Key Laboratory for Chemical Biology of Fujian Province, Key Lab for Synthetic Biotechnology of Xiamen City, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, China
| | - Aihui Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, China; The Key Laboratory for Chemical Biology of Fujian Province, Key Lab for Synthetic Biotechnology of Xiamen City, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, China
| | - Siyao Qiu
- Science & Technology Innovation Institute, Dongguan University of Technology, Dongguan 523018, China
| | - Chun Tang
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, China
| | - Shiqiang Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, China
| | - Hongchun Li
- Research Center for Computer-Aided Drug Discovery, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Yonghui Zhang
- College of Food and Biology Engineering, Jimei University, Xiamen 361005, China
| | - Yali Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, China; The Key Laboratory for Chemical Biology of Fujian Province, Key Lab for Synthetic Biotechnology of Xiamen City, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, China
| | - Binju Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, China
| | - Baishan Fang
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, China; The Key Laboratory for Chemical Biology of Fujian Province, Key Lab for Synthetic Biotechnology of Xiamen City, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, China.
| | - Wenjing Hong
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, China.
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