Melanins constitute a very important class of organic pigments, recently emerging as a potential material for a new generation of bioinspired biocompatible electrically active devices. In this paper, we report about the deposition of synthetic melanin films starting from aqueous suspensions by matrix assisted pulsed laser evaporation (MAPLE). In particular, we demonstrate that it is possible to deposit melanin films by MAPLE even if melanin (a) is not soluble in water and (b) absorbs light from UV to IR. AFM images reveal that the film surface features are highly depending on the deposition parameters. UV-VIS and FTIR spectra show both the optical properties and the molecular structure typical of melanins are preserved.
Matrix assisted pulsed laser deposition of melanin thin films / Bloisi, Francesco; Pezzella, Alessandro; Barra, M.; Chiarella, F.; Cassinese, Antonio; Vicari, LUCIANO ROSARIO MARIA. - In: JOURNAL OF APPLIED PHYSICS. - ISSN 0021-8979. - 110:2(2011), pp. 026105-1-026105-3. [10.1063/1.3602084]
Matrix assisted pulsed laser deposition of melanin thin films
BLOISI, FRANCESCO;PEZZELLA, ALESSANDRO;CASSINESE, ANTONIO;VICARI, LUCIANO ROSARIO MARIA
2011
Abstract
Melanins constitute a very important class of organic pigments, recently emerging as a potential material for a new generation of bioinspired biocompatible electrically active devices. In this paper, we report about the deposition of synthetic melanin films starting from aqueous suspensions by matrix assisted pulsed laser evaporation (MAPLE). In particular, we demonstrate that it is possible to deposit melanin films by MAPLE even if melanin (a) is not soluble in water and (b) absorbs light from UV to IR. AFM images reveal that the film surface features are highly depending on the deposition parameters. UV-VIS and FTIR spectra show both the optical properties and the molecular structure typical of melanins are preserved.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.