Abstract
This account describes recent studies preformed by the author and his coworkers regarding new analytical methodologies based on chemical and steric interactions at liquid-liquid interfaces, at solid-liquid interfaces and within nanopores. These studies aim at (1) experimental and theoretical understanding of potentiometric responses to uncharged phenols observed with PVC-supported liquid membranes, (2) electrochemical sensing of trivalent lanthanoid ions using chelating ligands at liquid-liquid and solid-liquid interfaces, (3) force-based chemical sensing using chemically-modified atomic force microscopy (AFM) tips, (4) discrimination of surface molecules and functional groups using molecular scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) tips, and (5) single nanoparticle/molecule detection and discrimination using single MWNT channels. These methodologies provide a means for obtaining unique molecular/nanoparticle information as well as for developing new chemical sensors. In addition, some of them can detect and discriminate single molecules and nanoparticles, and thus permit us to develop not only new highly-sensitive, absolute analytical methods but also to develop new analytical techniques that provide both the average and intrinsic distribution of analyte properties.
