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RESEARCH PRODUCT

Mono- and Multi-Layers

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description

Thin films incorporating or consisting of calixarenes have been widely investigated. The capacity of such films to adsorb both ions and neutral species has engendered particular interest in their use in sensor devices. Semiconductors, non-linear optical and pyroelectric materials or switchable systems for data storage are further examples of their potential use [1]. Both monoand multi-layer films can be formed from calixarenes and resorcarenes, using a variety of techniques. This chapter deals with the fundamental basis of calixarene thin film applications, including film formation and characterisation as well as studies of selectivity in small molecule interactions. Real and potential applications are considered in more detail in Chapters 26, 32, 34 and 36. The formation of monolayers by adsorption or (self) assembly at interfaces usually requires long chain molecules with different functional groups at each end (e.g. stearic acid for Langmuir-Blodgett-films, alkane thiols for assembly on gold.) Especially when fixed in the cone conformation calix[4]arenes possess two ends, the phenolic hydroxy groups (and residues attached to them) and the p-positions (and their substituents) which can be independently functionalized (see Chapter 2). The same is true for the all-cis