ZME Science
No Result
View All Result
ZME Science
No Result
View All Result
ZME Science

Home → Science → Nanotechnology

Pioneers of self-assembling 2D layers receive Kavli Prize for nanoscience

It's a technology that's already affecting our lives.

Mihai AndreibyMihai Andrei
June 2, 2022
in Materials, Nanotechnology, News
A A
Share on FacebookShare on TwitterSubmit to Reddit

Imagine a material that’s so thin it’s essentially two-dimensional. Now, imagine it’s able to form spontaneously on different surfaces and change the properties of these surfaces in multiple ways. It’s one of the wonders brought to us by nanoscience, and this type of structure is called a “self-assembling monolayer”.

This type of technology is now widely used in a number of applications, from medicine and electronics to sensing. Four researchers who pioneered various aspects of self-assembling monolayers were recently awarded the prestigious Kavli prize to celebrate their achievements in the field: David L. Allara (USA), Ralph G. Nuzzo (USA), Jacob Sagiv (Israel), and George Whitesides (USA).

The world of monolayers opens up many exciting possibilities. Image credits: Kavli Award.

We take a lot of materials we use today for granted, but many of them were developed relatively recently — and their existence makes the technology around us possible. Some of this innovation happens at the very surface of materials, which is where we interact with them.

The concept of self-assembled monolayers has been floating around for about a century, but for a long time, this was only restricted to liquid films. The first films were invented by Katharine Blodgett and Irving Langmuir, but these only formed at the interface between air and liquid.

The field of deploying monolayers on solid surfaces starts with the work of Jacob Sagiv. In a landmark paper from 1980, Sagiv showed that some molecules could be bound on the surfaces of some materials, which he suggested could be used in a number of applications. He was right: if we fast forward to the 2010-2020 decade, there are some 400-500 patents filed every year for this type of technology.

Application sectors of SAMs based on an analysis of patents from worldwide patent offices and with an application date between January 2011 and January 2022. Please note that the same patent can belong to (and thus be counted in) more than one application field reported in the pie chart. Figure by A. Della Pia and D. Magri, Ciaotech/ PNO consultants; analysis based on the Wheesbee platform.

Just three years later, Ralph Nuzzo and David Allara, working at the now-legendary Bell Labs, achieved another milestone: they showed that films of molecules can be adsorbed onto glass and metal surfaces (adsorbtion being adhesion of atoms, ions or molecules to a surface. This is important for a number of reasons; first of all, it expanded the range of usable surfaces and layer molecules. But Nuzzo and Allara also accurately estimated the thickness and structure of these layers, which enabled an even better customization of the physical properties of these monolayers.

Image credits: Nils Lund / Kavli Prize.

While Sagiv, Nuzzo, and Allara paved the way for self-assembling monolayers on solid materials to become a reality, it was George Whitesides who, along with his colleague, found more practical ways of patterning surfaces with nanoscale layers. Whitesides proved that by using a special type of “stamp”, it was possible to generate configurations with different shapes and sizes within the same layer. Furthermore, the same stamp could be reused to produce the same results time and time again, substantially reducing the time and cost necessary for creating these monolayers. This new way of creating monolayers triggered a surge in the applications for this type of monolayer.

RelatedPosts

Big Boy Is Here and He’s the Most Venomous Spider in the World
COVID death toll underestimated: Nearly 75,000 more Americans died in spring and summer because of the pandemic
13 delicious oyster facts you probably didn’t know
Galápagos giant tortoises often live over 100 years without cancer. The secret to their longevity may be in their genes
Image of a flexible plastic active-matrix backplane circuit fabricated using soft-lithographic patterning methods. Image is courtesy of Professor John A. Rogers, who had worked in George Whitesides’ group, and exemplifies historically important advances in fabrication. These results were reported in PNAS 98, 4835–840 (2001).

Nowadays, we use self-assembled monolayers in a number of sensors, energy devices, inks, and electronics. This is already a maturing technology that is impacting our lives, showing that nanoscale inventions can have a macroscopic impact on our lives.

ShareTweetShare
Mihai Andrei

Mihai Andrei

Dr. Andrei Mihai is a geophysicist and founder of ZME Science. He has a Ph.D. in geophysics and archaeology and has completed courses from prestigious universities (with programs ranging from climate and astronomy to chemistry and geology). He is passionate about making research more accessible to everyone and communicating news and features to a broad audience.

Related Posts

Culture & Society

What’s Seasonal Body Image Dissatisfaction and How Not to Fall into Its Trap

byAlexandra Gerea
2 days ago
Mind & Brain

Why a 20-Minute Nap Could Be Key to Unlocking ‘Eureka!’ Moments Like Salvador Dalí

byTibi Puiu
2 days ago
Anthropology

The world’s oldest boomerang is even older than we thought, but it’s not Australian

byMihai Andrei
2 days ago
Future

Swarms of tiny robots could go up your nose, melt the mucus and clean your sinuses

byMihai Andrei
2 days ago

Recent news

What’s Seasonal Body Image Dissatisfaction and How Not to Fall into Its Trap

June 28, 2025

Why a 20-Minute Nap Could Be Key to Unlocking ‘Eureka!’ Moments Like Salvador Dalí

June 28, 2025

The world’s oldest boomerang is even older than we thought, but it’s not Australian

June 27, 2025
  • About
  • Advertise
  • Editorial Policy
  • Privacy Policy and Terms of Use
  • How we review products
  • Contact

© 2007-2025 ZME Science - Not exactly rocket science. All Rights Reserved.

No Result
View All Result
  • Science News
  • Environment
  • Health
  • Space
  • Future
  • Features
    • Natural Sciences
    • Physics
      • Matter and Energy
      • Quantum Mechanics
      • Thermodynamics
    • Chemistry
      • Periodic Table
      • Applied Chemistry
      • Materials
      • Physical Chemistry
    • Biology
      • Anatomy
      • Biochemistry
      • Ecology
      • Genetics
      • Microbiology
      • Plants and Fungi
    • Geology and Paleontology
      • Planet Earth
      • Earth Dynamics
      • Rocks and Minerals
      • Volcanoes
      • Dinosaurs
      • Fossils
    • Animals
      • Mammals
      • Birds
      • Fish
      • Amphibians
      • Reptiles
      • Invertebrates
      • Pets
      • Conservation
      • Animal facts
    • Climate and Weather
      • Climate change
      • Weather and atmosphere
    • Health
      • Drugs
      • Diseases and Conditions
      • Human Body
      • Mind and Brain
      • Food and Nutrition
      • Wellness
    • History and Humanities
      • Anthropology
      • Archaeology
      • History
      • Economics
      • People
      • Sociology
    • Space & Astronomy
      • The Solar System
      • Sun
      • The Moon
      • Planets
      • Asteroids, meteors & comets
      • Astronomy
      • Astrophysics
      • Cosmology
      • Exoplanets & Alien Life
      • Spaceflight and Exploration
    • Technology
      • Computer Science & IT
      • Engineering
      • Inventions
      • Sustainability
      • Renewable Energy
      • Green Living
    • Culture
    • Resources
  • Videos
  • Reviews
  • About Us
    • About
    • The Team
    • Advertise
    • Contribute
    • Editorial policy
    • Privacy Policy
    • Contact

© 2007-2025 ZME Science - Not exactly rocket science. All Rights Reserved.