Nanopore functionalization

Advanced transport control in nanopores beyond gating in the first place requires functionalization control and combination of functional groups. This holds for gradual control of nanopore accessiblity, gradient design as well as for multifunctionality in nanopores. Especially in the context of sensing, monitoring and the design of selective or coupled transport phenomena, multifunctional nanopores will be needed. Therfore, we explored different polymerization strategies to control polymer amount, polymer chain composition and polymer location in nanoporous films.

Currently involved team members: C. Förster, L. Zhao, L. Despot

Formerly involved team members: F. Krohm, L. Silies-Kretschmar, J. Tom, R. Brilmayer, M. Ochs

Finished Projects: LOEWE „Soft-Control“ (2011-2014), Boehringer Ingelheim Foundation (Exploration Grant) (2015-2016), LOEWE i-Napo (2016-2020), ERC StG

Related Pulications:

R. Brilmayer, C. Hess, A. Andrieu‐Brunsen, Influence of Chain Architecture on Nanopore Accessibility in Polyelectrolyte Block‐Co‐Oligomer Functionalized Mesopores, Small, 2019, 15, 1902710.

J. Tom, R. Brilmayer, J. Schmidt, A. Andrieu-Brunsen, Optimisation of Surface-Initiated Photoiniferter-Mediated Polymerisation under Confinement, and the Formation of Block Copolymers in Mesoporous Films, Polymers 2017, 9, 10, 539.

F. Krohm, J. Kind, R. Savka, M. Alcaraz Janßen, D. Herold, H. Plenio, C. M. Thiele, A. Andrieu-Brunsen, Photochromic Spiropyran- and Spirooxazine-Homopolymers in Mesoporous Thin Films by Surface Initiated ROMP, J. Mater. Chem. C, 2016 Emerging Investigators themed issue: Novel design strategies for new functional materials.
Titel: Correction: Photochromic spiropyran- and spirooxazine-homopolymers in mesoporous thin films by surface initiated ROMP, J. Mater. Chem. C., 2016, 4, 4077-4077.

A. Andrieu-Brunsen, S. Micoureau, M. Tagliazucchi, I. Szleifer, O. Azzaroni, G. J. A. A. Soler-Illia, Mesoporous Hybrid Thin Film Membranes with PMETAC@Silica Architectures: Controlling Ionic Gating Through the Tuning of Polyelectrolyte Density, Chem. Mater., 2015, 27, 808.

L. Silies, H. Didzoleit, C. Hess, B. Stühn, A. Andrieu-Brunsen, Mesoporous Thin Films, Zwitterionic Monomers, and Iniferter-Initiated Polymerization: Polymerization in a Confined Space, Chem. Mater., 2015, 27, 1971.

Compartmentalization and miniaturization of device components is essential e.g. to build multifunctional small lab-on-chip devices. Transport direction will need functional (nano)gradients along nanopores. Localized detection will need (nano) local readout. We are exploring the potential of near field modes to localize polymer functionalization in three dimensions at the nanoscale. Due to the wavelength region of these near field modes and high resolution microscopy techniques such as surface plasmons this needs visible light (> 470 nm) induced polymerizations. Currently, we are for example investigating dye-sensitized polymerization using methylene blue or fluoresceine.

Currently involved team members: C. Förster, R. Lehn, M. Kirsch

Formerly involved team members: N. Herzog, D. John

Funding: ERC StG, DFG

Finished Projects: Adolf-Messer Stiftung

Related Publications:

M. Stanzel, L. Zhao, R. Mohammadi, R. Pardehkhorram, U. Kunz, N. Vogel (FAU Erlangen), A. Andrieu-Brunsen, Simultaneous Nanolocal Polymer and In Situ Readout Unit Placement in Mesoporous Separation Layers, Anal. Chem., 2021, 93, 13, 5394-5402.

D. John, M. Stanzel, A. Andrieu-Brunsen, Surface Plasmons and Visible Light Iniferter Initiated Polymerization for Nanolocal Functionalization of Mesoporous Separation Layers, Adv. Funct. Mater., 2021, 31,2009732.

M. Ochs, R. Mohammadi, N. Vogel, A. Andrieu-Brunsen, Wetting-controlled localized placement of surface functionalities within nanopores, Small, 2020, 16, 1906463.

D. John, R. Mohammadi, N. Vogel, A. Andrieu-Brunsen, Surface plasmon and green light induced polymerization in mesoporous thin silica films, Langmuir, 2020, 36, 7, 1671-1679.

N. Herzog, J. Kind, C. Hess, A. Andrieu-Brunsen, Surface Plasmons & Visible Light For Polymer Functionalization of Mespores and Manipulation of Ionic Permselectivity, Chem. Commun., 2015, 51, 11697.