More than ever before, people around the world are frequently exposed to different sections of the electromagnetic spectrum, mainly emitted from wireless modern communication technologies. Especially, the level of knowledge on non-thermal biological EMF effects remains controversial. New technologies allow for a more detailed detection of non-coding RNAs which affect the post-transcriptional control.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFRadiofrequency electromagnetic fields (RF-EMF) are a basic requirement of modern wireless communication technology. Statutory thresholds of RF-EMF are established to limit relevant additional heat supply in human tissue. Nevertheless, to date, questions concerning nonthermal biological effects have yet to be fully addressed.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFWe investigate the surface-catalyzed dissociation of the archetypal molecular switch azobenzene on the Cu(111) surface. Based on X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, normal incidence X-ray standing waves and density functional theory calculations a detailed picture of the coverage-induced formation of phenyl nitrene from azobenzene is presented. Furthermore, a comparison to the azobenzene/Ag(111) interface provides insight into the driving force behind the dissociation on Cu(111).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFInterfaces between organic molecules and solid surfaces play a prominent role in heterogeneous catalysis, molecular sensors and switches, light-emitting diodes, and photovoltaics. The properties and the ensuing function of such hybrid interfaces often depend exponentially on molecular adsorption heights and binding strengths, calling for well-established benchmarks of these two quantities. Here we present systematic measurements that enable us to quantify the interaction of benzene with the Ag(111) coinage metal substrate with unprecedented accuracy (0.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAlthough geometric and electronic properties of any physical or chemical system are always mutually coupled by the rules of quantum mechanics, counterintuitive coincidences between the two are sometimes observed. The coadsorption of the organic molecules 3,4,9,10-perylene tetracarboxylic dianhydride and copper-II-phthalocyanine on Ag(111) represents such a case, since geometric and electronic structures appear to be decoupled: one molecule moves away from the substrate while its electronic structure indicates a stronger chemical interaction, and vice versa for the other. Our comprehensive experimental and ab-initio theoretical study reveals that, mediated by the metal surface, both species mutually amplify their charge-donating and -accepting characters, respectively.
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