Rory Jones

Major: Physics (Option I)

Minor: Mathematics and Business

Anticipated Graduation Date: May, 2014

Research Supervisor: Dr. Nuri Oncel, Physics, University of North Dakota

Faculty Mentor: Dr. Lowell McCann, Physics, University of Wisconsin-River Falls

Research Location: University of North Dakota, SUNRISE Research Experiences for Undergraduates Program, Summer 2012

Research Topic: Scanning Tunneling Microscope Study on Self-Assembled Monolayers of Porphyrin Molecules on Highly Oriented Pyrolytic Graphite for Solar Cells

Abstract: This research describes a scanning tunneling microscopy study of the physical properties of thin films of porphyrin molecules adsorbed on highly oriented pyrolytic graphite (HOPG) at solid-liquid interfaces. The Fe (III) meso-Tetra (4-carboxylphenyl) [Fe-TCP] and meso-Tetra (4-carboxylphenyl) [TCP] porphyrins were dissolved with phenyloctane or octanoic acid and deposited on bare HOPG to examine the self-assembly of these monolayers. 5-octadecyloxy isophthalic acid (5-OIA) was added to provide directional hydrogen bonding sites on the surface for the porphyrin molecules. The research focus was on controlling the surface morphology of a porphyrin film by co-adsorbing them with chain-like molecules.