Type of Document	Dissertation
Author	Jennings, Travis L
Author's Email Address	tjennings@penguinsmack.com
URN	etd-01242006-180801
Title	Nanomaterials: Synthesis, Characterization, and their Bio-Integration
Degree	Doctor of Philosophy
Department	Chemistry and Biochemistry, Department of
Advisory Committee	Advisor Name Title Geoffrey Strouse Committee Chair Bryant Chase Committee Member Harold Kroto Committee Member Michael Kasha Committee Member
Keywords	Nanoparticle Energy Transfer FRET Quantum Dot Nanomaterial
Date of Defense	2006-01-18
Availability	unrestricted
Abstract The purpose of this dissertation is to utilize the changing optical and electronic properties of metallic and semiconductor nanomaterials for applications to biotechnology. The dynamic optical properties of metals and semiconductors with size is discussed in regard to the ability of these materials to accept electronic excitation energy from classical molecular fluorescent dyes (Chap. 2). Absorption, photoluminescence, and time-resolved photoluminescence experiments are performed on metal nanoparticle-dye pairs at separation distances controlled via synthetic DNA spacers where the distance, dye, and nanoparticle size are varied (Chaps. 3 and 4). It is found that the efficiency of energy transfer to small metal nanoparticles is greater than expected for a 1/R^6 Förster mechanism of energy transfer and the measurable separation distance is increased, following a 1/R^4 dependence. The 1/R^4 distance dependence is the theoretically established relationship of an excited molecule to a metallic surface. This tool, termed “Nanometal Surface Energy Transfer” (NSET) is then used in Chapters 5 and 6 to measure the kinetics and conformational changes associated with a hammerhead ribozyme as a model test subject for NSET methodology. Finally, ZnS-overcoated CdSe semiconductor quantum dots, (Chap. 7) are synthesized controllably and characterized in terms of their potential for biological incorporation for detection or in vitro studies.
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