DNA-mediated molecular assembly of a triphenylene–surfactant complex monolayer

Abstract

Bottom-up DNA-guided molecular assembly is a technique of choice in modern organic device engineering. DNA, being a polyelectrolyte, is capable of mediating electrostatic interactions between different molecular building blocks. Here, we report DNA-mediated molecular assembly of an electrostatically driven triphenylene-surfactant complex monolayer. The monolayer, formed at air-water interface with DNA in the subphase, was studied using surface manometry and Brewster angle microscopy. Unlike that of the pristine system, the monolayer in presence of DNA showed enhanced stability and a remarkably high efficiency of deposition on solid supports. The morphologies of deposited films with controlled number of layers were studied using atomic force microscopy. In addition, UV–visible spectroscopy and grazing incidence X-ray diffraction (GIXRD) technique confirmed the presence of DNA in the deposited films. Since both triphenylene and surfactant are technologically relevant molecules, the DNA-mediated molecular assemblies deposited on solid substrates could find applications as functional materials in organic electronics.