Chengzhi Cai

Chengzhi Cai
Associate Professor
	Office: 208a Fleming Phone: (713) 743-2710 Fax: (713) 743-2709 Email: cai@uh.edu Education B.S. (1986), M.Sc. (1989), S. China University of Technology Ph.D., Laboratory of Organic Chemistry, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH-Zurich), 1996 Postdoctoral Fellow, Institute of Quantum Electronics, ETH-Zurich, 1996-99 Honors, Fellowships, etc. ETH Medal, 1997 NSF-Early Faculty CAREER award (2004-2009) Homepage Chem 3332 Course Page

Research Interests

Our research involves organic synthesis, organic thin films, surface functionalization and nanochemistry. In addition to the fundamental studies, we also work with our collaborators to solve suitable and significant biological and biomedical problems. For more details, please visit our group homepage.

Recent Publications

Qin, G.; Cai, C. Z.* "Sub-10 nm patterning of oligo(ethylene glycol) monolayers on silicon surfaces via local oxidation using a conductive atomic force microscope." Nanotechnology 2009, 20, in press.

Qin, G.; Cai, C. Z.* "Oxidative degradation of oligo(ethylene glycol)-terminated monolayers." Chem. Commun. 2009, 5112–5114.

Lopez, A. I.; Reins, R. Y.; McDermott, A. M.; Trautner, B. W.; Cai, C. Z.* Antibacterial activity and cytotoxicity of PEGylated poly(amidoamine) dendrimers." Mol. BioSyst. 2009, in press.

Santos, C. M.; Kumar, A.; Zhang, W.; Cai, C. Z.* "Functionalization of fluorous thin films via "click" chemistry." Chem. Commun. 2009, 2854–2856.

Gu, J.; Xiao, Z.; Yam, C. M.; Qin, G.; Deluge, M.; Boutet, S.; Cai, C.* "Functionalization at the apex of AFM tips coated with oligo(ethylene glycol) derivatives." Biophys. J. 2005, 89, L31–L33.

Yam, C. M.; Lopez-Romero, J. M.; Gu, J.; Cai, C.* "Protein-resistant monolayers prepared by hydrosilylation of a-oligo(ethylene glycol)-w-alkenes on hydrogen-terminated silicon (111) surfaces." Chem. Commun. 2004, 2510–2511.

Gu, J.; Yam, C. M.; Li, S.; Cai, C.* "Nanometric protein arrays on protein-resistant monolayers on silicon surfaces." J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2004, 126, 8098–8099.

Yam, C. M.; Xiao, Z.; Gu, J.; Boutet, S.; Cai, C.* "Modification of silicon AFM cantilever tips with an oligo(ethylene glycol) derivative for resisting proteins and maintaining a small tip size for high-resolution imaging." J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2003, 125, 7498–7499.

Deng, X.; Mayeux, A.; Cai, C.* "Nanometer-sized and tripod-shaped oligophenylenes end-capped with triallylsilyl groups." J. Org. Chem. 2002, 67, 5279–5283.