Formation of Nanoislands on the Surface of Thin Dipeptide Films under the Effect of Vaporous Organic Compounds

I. G. Efimova^a, M. A. Ziganshin^a, V. V. Gorbatchuk^a, D. V. Soldatov^b, S. A. Ziganshina^c,
A. P. Chuklanov^c, and A. A. Bukharaev^c

^a Butlerov Institute of Chemistry, Kazan State University, Kremlevskaya ul. 18, Kazan, 420008 Russia

^b University of Guelph, 50 Stone Road East, Guelph, Ontario, N1G 2W1 Canada

^c Zavoisky Physical-Technical Institute, Kazan Scientific Center, Russian Academy of Sciences,
Sibirskii trakt 10/7, Kazan 420029 Russia

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Received March 12, 2009

Abstract — Sorption properties of a thin L-alanyl-L-valine dipeptide film for vapors of organic compounds, i.e., methanol and toluene, were studied. Compositions of the inclusion compounds formed in the systems are determined using quartz microbalances. The surfaces morphology of of thin dipeptide films before and after the interaction with organic sorbate was studied with atomic force microscopy. The dipeptide was found to have a larger sorption capacity for methanol than for toluene. As a result of the interaction between a thin L-alanyl-L-valine dipeptide layer with toluene vapor, nanoislets appear on the film surface, and the receptor ability of dipeptide inactivated.

PACS numbers: 81.16.Rf