| The research presented in this dissertation focuses on the study of self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) in the modification of surface properties of different substrates for various applications. Self-assembled monolayers are organic molecules that can be deposited on a variety of surfaces, such as those of metals, metal-oxides, and semiconductors. Formation of SAMs on any inorganic material provides a ubiquitous way to impart desirable chemical and physical properties of organic and biological molecules to the inorganic substrate.;It has been demonstrated that single molecules and their self-assembled monolayers can significantly alter the physical and electronic properties of inorganic conductors; moreover, studies have shown that the performance of many electrical devices can be transformed by modifying inorganic electrodes with organic SAMs. This is especially important for the development of next generation of ultra-compact electronic devices, in which the ability to control the interfacial charge-transport with a single monolayer of organic molecules would be ideal. We have developed different organic electronic architectures as test beds for studying the effect of monolayer properties, such as structural and geometrical parameters, on their electronic properties. By using a typical organic electronic device as a sensitive test platform, slight changes in a monolayer property, such as length, have been detected by studying the current- voltage characteristics (JV) of organic diodes functionalized with self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) of varying alkyl chain-length. Next, we describe the application of SAMs based on n-octylphosphonic acid (C8PA) and 1H,1H,2H,2H-perfluorooctanephosphonic acid (PFOPA) as anode buffer layers in C60-based organic photovoltaic (OPV) devices. We used the OPV platform to compare stabilities of organic monolayers exposed to ambient conditions with SAMs positioned inside working OPV devices. We found that the stabilities are different, suggesting the degradation mechanisms are distinct. The degradation of the OPV efficiency with respect to air exposure was significantly reduced with the perfluorinated PFOPA compared to the aliphatic C8PA. We attributed the OPV degradation to moisture diffusion from the top aluminum electrode and we discuss that the lowering of the anode work function is the result of hydrolysis of the SAM buffer layer.;Next, we demonstrated the dependence of molecular electronic properties on the functional group substitution and that the changes in these properties can be measured using the organic light-emitting (OLED) platform. Specifically, we compared bilayered organic monomolecular systems immobilized on an inorganic electrode as the charge-injecting components of the organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs). Our bilayered interfaces comprise ordered inert primary and functional reactive layers, and they differ in only one parameter: the molecular structure of the terminal functional group. We demonstrate that we can visualize the differences in the charge transfer dynamics of two bilayered systems via patterned electroluminescence.;In addition, we describe a new protocol for the preparation of shape-controlled multicomponent particles comprising metallic (Au and Ti), magnetic (Ni), and oxide (SiO2, TiO2) layers. First, we discuss the application and attractiveness of the colloidal structures, Janus Particles (JPs), that possess two different surfaces, varying either in polarity, hydrophilicity, etc. Next, we present our method for specifically controlling the composition, shape, and size of the micro-JPs. We demonstrate how this protocol permits fabrication of non-symmetrical particles by orthogonally functionalizing their opposite sides using well-established organosilanes and thiol chemistries (based on SAMs). We propose that these colloids may be used as convenient materials for studying non-symmetrical self-assembly at the meso- and micro-scales, due to their unique geometries and surface chemistries. |
