Riassunto analitico
The activity of research discussed in this thesis concerns theoretical and experimental aspects related to spin dependent electrochemistry, applied to chiral imprinting of Magnetite (Fe3O4) electrodeposited layers.
Spin dependent electrochemistry (SDE) is a specific and developing branch of electrochemistry that allows to perform experiments and measurements intended to study, detect, select and manipulate spin orientations. This field was recently hit by the experimental discover of the Chiral Induced Spin Selectivity Effect (CISS) which states that electrons transmission through chiral molecules depends on the spin orientation of the electron. This finding holds great importance in terms of potential industrial applications, opening up innovative approaches in many different fields: electronics, biology, energy production.
In this work, electrochemical deposition techniques are performed to achieve chiral imprinting of magnetite layers (normally achiral), starting from a chiral agent added to the bulk electrolyte solution. The aim is obtaining a stable and reproducible surface which is ferromagnetic, chiral and oxidized at the same time. The work was mainly carried out in the Physical-Chemistry Department of the Weizmann Institute of Science in Rehovot, with the collaboration of Prof. Ron Naaman and his group.
Preliminary yet promising results are obtained, with the CD spectra of the different enantiomers’ samples showing opposite sign signal, and leave room for further investigation (which were not possible due to the unfortunate arrival of the Corona crisis).
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