Chad A. Mirkin, George B. Rathmann Professor
Department of Chemistry
Northwestern University

E-mail: c-mirkin@northwestern.edu
Phone: 847-491-2907

BS, Dickinson College
PhD, Pennsylvania State University

NSF Postdoctoral Fellow, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Camille and Henry Dreyfus New Faculty and Teacher-Scholar Awards
Beckman Young Investigator Award
NSF Young Investigator Award
DuPont Young Professor Award
ONR Young Investigator Award
Alfred P. Sloan Fellow
BF Goodrich Collegiate Inventors Award
E. Bright Wilson Prize
National Fresenius Award, Phi Lambda Upsilon
ACS Award in Pure Chemistry
MRS Outstanding Young Investigator Award

Research Areas
Much of our chemistry focuses on the structure-versus-function relationship of self-assembled monolayer films (SAMs) consisting of a single layer of molecules chemically bonded to a substrate of interest. Understanding the fundamental processes of electron and ion transport and chemical reactions that occur within such films is vital to the development of new molecule-based chemical sensors, optical switches, electrocatalysts, nanofabrication technology, and other electronic and photonic devices.

One theme in our group focuses on using DNA-based monolayer chemistry and DNAÕs exquisite molecular recognition properties to control the assembly of colloidal metal and semiconductor nanoparticles into highly ordered macroscopic materials (see illustration at bottom left). With this strategy, we have learned how to assemble colloidal Au and CdS particles into well-defined aggregate structures in which the optical, electrical, and mechanical properties can be systematically controlled through choice of oligonucleotide sequence and length as well as colloidal composition and size. This strategy already has led to the development of a new ultrasensitive and selective detection scheme for DNA (see last reference).

A second theme involves the development of new methods for constructing and evaluating two-dimensional molecule-based nanostructures. This effort involves the use of scanning probe instruments (AFM and STM) to generate well-defined patterns of soft molecule-based materials. These structures allow us to ask and answer key questions in the area of molecule-based electronics and nanotechnology (first reference).

A third focus is the design of a new class of ligands that provide electrochemical control over stoichiometric and catalytic properties of transition metals. By developing a fundamental understanding of the factors that control the charge-dependent binding of ligands, we hope to develop new polymeric materials that exhibit oxidation-state dependent catalysis and small molecule uptake and release properties (second reference). A fourth theme focuses on using hemilabile ligands and novel coordination chemistry principles to develop general strategies for preparing supra molecular cage and cylindrical structures (see illustration at top left). The host/guest properties and catalytic chemistry of these complexes are being evaluated (third reference).

Related Publications
"Dip-Pen Nanolithography" [with R. D. Piner, J. Zhu, F. Xu, and S. Hong], Science 283:661-63 (1999).

"Ligand Design for Electrochemically Controlling Stoichiometric and Catalytic Reactivity of Transition Metals" [with A. M. Allgeier], Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 110:5001-14 (1998).

"Strategy for Preparing Molecular Cylinders with Synthetically Programmable Structural Parameters" [with J. R. Farrell, L. M. Liable-Sands, and A. L. Rheingold], J. Am. Chem. Soc. 120:11834-35 (1998).

"Selective Colorimetric Detection of Polynucleotides Based on the Distance-Dependent Optical Properties of Gold Nanoparticles" [with R. Elghanian, J. J. Storhoff, R. C. Mucic, and R. L. Letsinger], Science 277:1078-81 (1997).