Peptide anchored Langmuir–Blodgett films of a fullerene amphiphile

• Published in: Colloids and surfaces. A, Physicochemical and engineering aspects Physicochemical and engineering aspects, 2001-10, Vol.190 (3), p.295-303
• Main Authors: Tundo, Pietro, Perosa, Alvise, Selva, Maurizio, Valli, Ludovico, Giannini, Cinzia
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Amphiphilic; Fullerene; Langmuir–Blodgett film; Self assembly
• ISSN: 0927-7757; 1873-4359
• DOI: 10.1016/S0927-7757(01)00704-X

A new amphiphilic derivative of fullerene C 60 bearing an oligoglycyl tail (C 60CHCOgly 2OEt, 2) formed stable Langmuir floating films at the air–water interface. This occurred when the molecular assembly was stabilized by anchoring the amphiphilic C 60's to the aqueous subphase, via hydrogen bonding interactions between a dipeptide (Gly–L–Leu) dissolved in the water subphase, and the oligoglycyl chain. The compression ( π−A) isotherm of the Langmuir floating film constructed in such a way showed no hysteresis, was steep, and evidenced that the monolayer collapsed at a surface pressure π⩾65 mN m −1, thus confirming that the film was tightly packed, extremely stable, and rigid. A limiting area per molecule of 89.1 Å 2 was extrapolated, in agreement with the calculated cross-section area of the C 60 fullerene. On the contrary, when the dipeptide was absent and pure water was used as the subphase, the π−A isotherm yielded a limiting area