faculty

Professor of Chemistry
Ph.D., Cornell University

Biophysical, Surface, and Organometallic Chemistry

Phone: (734) 763-2283
E-mail: mbanasza@umich.edu

Research Group Home Page
Inorganic Chemistry
Organometallic Chemistry
Surface Chemistry

The interface region where two solids meet is critically important in such disparate areas as microelectronics, catalysis, and biology. Yet, understanding and controlling the structure and properties of interfaces remains a difficult challenge. Our research group focuses on understanding the structure, reactivity and physical properties of interfaces in a broad sense, studying the interfaces, themselves, as well as model systems ranging from solution soluble small molecules, clusters and polymers, to interfaces synthesized using ultrahigh vacuum surface science techniques.

A study of the Si/SiO₂ interface, the heart of solid modern transistor devices, is underway using silicon oxide clusters such as H₈Si₈O₁₂. The clusters allow the formation of a model Si/SiO₂ interface with specific structural details such as coordination environment about silicon and oxygen and Si-O ring size controlled at the molecular level. Using the model interfaces as benchmarks, we can then set about the complicated task of interpreting the spectroscopic information obtained regarding the structure and reactivity of the Si/SiO₂ interface. Reactions involving hydrogen are of particular interest because of the role hydrogen plays in device breakdown and failure. The primary techniques are X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy, Infrared Spectroscopy and Scanning Tunneling Microscopy. We are also studying Low-Dielectic Constant Materials such as hydridosilsesquioxane (HSQ) resin for applications as interlayer dielectrics.

As part of the Center for Biologic Nanotechnology at the University of Michigan, we are studying the development of polymer-based drug transport agents and their interactions with lipid bilayers, organelles, and cells. This project is part of a National Cancer Institute funded project designed to reinvent chemotherapy.

The group also has a long standing interest in molecular main group chemistry with a special focus on Germanium. We have recently discovered CH-activation chemistry using a mixed Ge(II)/aryl halide reagent. We are vigorously pursuing this avenue of research.

AWARDS

• Alfred P. Sloan Fellow 1999-2001
• IBM Research Partnership Award, 1998
• 3M Nontenured Faculty Award, 1998
• IBM Research Partnership Award, 1997

REPRESENTATIVE PUBLICATIONS

1. Syntheses of Ring-fused B-N Heteroaromatic Compounds.   X. Fang, H. Yang, J. W. Kampf, M. M. Banaszak Holl, A. J. Ashe.    Organometallics 2006 , 25 , 513-518.
2. Membrane thinning due to antimicrobial peptide binding - An AFM study of MSI-78 in DMPC bilayers. A. Mecke, D.-K. Kee, A. Ramamoorthy, B. G. Orr, and M. M. Banaszak Holl. Biophysical Journal  2005, 89,  4043-4045.
3. Lipid Bilayer Disruption by Polyamidoamine Dendrimers:   The Role of Generation and Capping Group.   A. Mecke, B. G. Orr, M. M. Banaszak Holl, J. R. Baker, in Langmuir 2005 , 21 , 10348-10354.
4. An Atomic Force Microscopy Study of Early Morphological Changes During Apoptosis.   J. Hessler, A. Budor, K. Putchakayala, A. Mecke, D. Rieger, M. M. Banaszak Holl, B. G. Orr, A. Bielinska, J. Beals, J. Baker, Langmuir   2005 , 21 , 9280-9286.
5. Synthetic and natural polycationic polymers interact selectively with fluid phase domains of DMPC lipid bilayers. A. Mecke, D.-K. Lee, R. Ramamoorthy, B. G. Orr, and M. M. Banaszak Holl.   Langmuir 2005, 21, 8588-8590.
6. Band alignment issues related to HfO 2 /SiO 2 /p-Si gate stacks S. Sayan, T. Emge, E. Garfunkel, X. Zhao, L. Wielunksi, R.A. Bartynski, D. Vanderbilt, J.S. Suehle, S. Suzer, and M. Banaszak-Holl,   Journal of Applied Physics 2004 , 96, 7485-7491