SERS Measurement of Cysteamine Molecules Stretched by the Electromagnetophoretic Force.

The role of an external force on chemical equilibria is an important subject in mechanobiochemistry. The effect of an electromagnetophoretic force for the stretching of cysteamine molecules was examined by using SERS spectrometry. Polystyrene particles modified with cysteamine were bound to silver nanoparticles adsorbed on the wall of a silica capillary cell. Under a constant magnetic field, when an electric current was applied to the conductive medium in the capillary, the shift of SERS bands and the increase of the trans/gauche ratio of cysteamine were observed, suggesting a molecular conformation change of cysteamine due to the stretching force.