This is the report of a DOE-sponsored workshop organized to discuss the status of our understanding of charge-transfer processes on the nanoscale and to identify research and other needs for progress in nanoscience and nanotechnology. The current status of basic electron-transfer research, both theoretical and experimental, is addressed, with emphasis on the distance-dependent measurements, and we have attempted to integrate terminology and notation of solution electron-transfer kinetics with that of conductance analysis. The interface between molecules or nanoparticles and bulk metals is examined, and new research tools that advance description and understanding of the interface are presented. The present state-of-the-art in molecular electronics efforts is summarized along with future research needs. Finally, novel strategies that exploit nanoscale architectures are presented for enhancing the efficiences of energy conversion based on photochemistry, catalysis, and electrocatalysis principles.

Macroscopic and nanoscopic current−voltage measurements reveal asymmetries in the DC electrical conductivity through Langmuir−Blodgett multilayers and even monolayers of γ-(n-hexadecyl)quinolinum tricyanoquinodimethanide, C16H33Q-3CNQ (5). These asymmetries are due to a transition of the ground-state zwitterion to an excited-state conformer which is probably neutral. Unimolecular electrical rectification by monolayers of 5 is unequivocally confirmed.

It is now established that hexagonally ordered domain structures can be formed in anodic alumina films by repeated anodization and stripping of the porous oxide. We find that the domain size is a linear function of time and increases with temperature. The pore density is initially high but decreases with anodizing time, as dominant pores deepen. Very small pores exist in native oxide in air or nucleate after electropolishing. Pore growth may start when the electric field increases at the pore bottoms, and acid dissolves the oxide locally.