Detecting non-covalent interactions in high vacuum by single molecule force spectroscopy: a brief review

Abstract

Abstract Non-covalent interactions are very important for nanostructures. The detection of non-covalent interactions at the molecular scale is very difficult since they are too weak to detect in most cases. The disturbance from the liquid environment can be eliminated in high vacuum, which makes the detection of non-covalent interactions possible. This review introduces a method of high vacuum single molecule force spectroscopy (SMFS) and summarizes a series of recent studies on non-covalent interactions by using SMFS. These studies include the van der Waals forces between a polymer chain and the substrate as well as the intrachain π–π interactions of a polymer chain, which cast new light on the non-covalent interactions.