Abstract
The adsorption of histidine (His), and its peptide glycyl-glycyl-histidine (Gly-Gly-His), on Au(111) and Au(110) has been studied by soft X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and near edge X-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy (NEXAFS) at the nitrogen and oxygen K-edges. The molecules were adsorbed on surfaces from acidic (pH similar to 3) solution.
The results are compared with our previous studies of the adsorption of histidine and its peptides on Au(111) deposited on Au(111) from neutral solutions. When deposited from acidic solution, His adsorbs as carboxylic and carboxylate forms on both Au(111) and Au(110) surfaces, whereas its peptide is present mainly in the carboxylic form.
In contrast, both molecules deposited from neutral solution adsorbed mainly as carboxylates. The imino nitrogen atom of the imidazole ring plays a crucial role in the interaction with gold surfaces.
The Au 4f core level shift indicates that a chemisorption rather than a physisorption process occurs.