Surface Chemistry Research with Dr. Kevin E. Johnson
Spectroscopy and microscopy of liquid/solid interfaces
Students in Dr. Johnson's laboratory participate in research that investigates the molecular structure at the interface between solids and liquids. At an interface the structure of both the solid and liquid differ from that in the bulk material. The study of interfacial structure has bearing on the understanding of electrode surfaces, solid-state sensors, as well as cell surfaces in biological chemistry.
Student researchers will employ two techniques to study molecules at interfaces. Scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) are both scanning probe microscopy techniques that allow for the imaging of molecular structure of surfaces in situ. It is also possible to measure the molecularvibrations at interfaces using infrared reflection absorption spectroscopy (IRRAS) and surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS).
The surfaces studied are Self-Assembled Monolayers (SAMs); that is a single molecular layer on a well defined metal surface.