New study into molecular interactions ‘could advance organic electronics’

A new Japanese study has provided a better understanding of how organic molecules bind to other materials, a discovery with potential implications for the development of electronics.

Researchers led by Kyoto University's Institute for Integrated Cell-Material Sciences have successfully used high-resolution transmission electron microscopy to visualise a certain type of organic molecular interaction at the atomic level.

Visualising the structures, movements and reactions of single, small organic molecules, the team was able to examine the link between the hydrocarbon pyrene and a single-walled carbon nanotube that the researchers used as a scaffold for this purpose.

This information has a number of potential applications and could lead to increased lifespans for various electronic devices. It comes at a time when organic materials are being used in a growing range of cutting-edge technologies.

Tomokazu Umeyama, the study's lead investigator, said: "This same methodology can be used to study any organic molecules that contain an aryl group. The methodology has the potential to provide indispensable information regarding molecular interactions."