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Molecular Aggregation and Microsolvation in Ultracold Helium Nanodroplets

Objective

"The aim of the project MOLHENANO is to carry out the study of molecular aggregates (pyridine clusters; amino acid clusters; acids and amino acids microsolvated in water) embedded in superfluid helium nanodroplets by means of high resolution infrared spectroscopy at the Physical Chemistry Department II of the Ruhr-Universität Bochum (RUB).
In the first part of the project, Pyridine molecules will be studied as an example for molecular aggregation processes. The study deuterated and fluorated pyridine will be studied to determine the effect of charge and mass distributions in the dimer formation. The results that will be obtained for the dimer can be used to predict intermolecular interactions in large aggregates.
In a second part of the project the applicant will continue the investigations already started on the microsolvation of hidrogen cloride. Specifically the effect of the deuteration on the dissociation mechanisms will be explored. The microsolvation investigations will be extended afterwards with the study of the amino acids arginine and phenylalanine. Specifically the question of which form, neutral or zwitterion, is present for each experimental condition will be addressed. In particular a systematic study on increasing the number of water molecules will be carried out to determine how many water molecules are necessary for the transition to zwitterionic configuration.
After concluding the above experiments the interaction of two amino acid monomers
will be studied. Since there is no thermal energy available inside helium nanodroplets the final configuration for the dimer would differ from the absolute energy minimum configuration. Explore this striking effects will be another aim of MOLHENANO project."

Call for proposal

FP7-PEOPLE-2010-IEF
See other projects for this call

Coordinator

RUHR-UNIVERSITAET BOCHUM
EU contribution
€ 162 742,40
Address
UNIVERSITAETSSTRASSE 150
44801 Bochum
Germany

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Region
Nordrhein-Westfalen Arnsberg Bochum, Kreisfreie Stadt
Activity type
Higher or Secondary Education Establishments
Administrative Contact
Martina Havenith-Newen (Prof.)
Links
Total cost
No data