Issue 9, 2020

The relationship between molecular structure and supramolecular morphology in the self-assembly of rod–coil molecules with oligoether chains

Abstract

Controlling the morphology of rod–coil molecular aggregates is crucial for studying and obtaining functional materials with exceptional properties. In this paper, we report the construction of rod–coil molecular nanoaggregates with well-defined structures. The rod–coil molecules, labeled 1a–1d, consist of a rod section, composed of phenyl and biphenyl groups, and oligoether chains with 7 and 12 repeating units. The final assembled structures showed either oblique or hexagonal columnar structures, depending on the length of the coils in the bulk state. Interestingly, in water, molecules 1a and 1c self-assemble into scrolled nanofibers and cylindrical micelles. Instead, molecules 1b and 1d, which have methyl groups decorated at the interface of the rod and coil sections, self-organize into helical nanofibers and nanorings, respectively. Thus, controlling the length of the coil chains and inserting lateral methyl groups is an effective strategy to construct precise rod–coil molecular assemblies in the bulk and in aqueous solution.

Graphical abstract: The relationship between molecular structure and supramolecular morphology in the self-assembly of rod–coil molecules with oligoether chains

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
04 Jan 2020
Accepted
28 Jan 2020
First published
29 Jan 2020

Soft Matter, 2020,16, 2224-2229

The relationship between molecular structure and supramolecular morphology in the self-assembly of rod–coil molecules with oligoether chains

J. Lu, S. Yu, Z. Li, M. Lee, Y. Yang and L. Y. Jin, Soft Matter, 2020, 16, 2224 DOI: 10.1039/D0SM00018C

To request permission to reproduce material from this article, please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

If you are an author contributing to an RSC publication, you do not need to request permission provided correct acknowledgement is given.

If you are the author of this article, you do not need to request permission to reproduce figures and diagrams provided correct acknowledgement is given. If you want to reproduce the whole article in a third-party publication (excluding your thesis/dissertation for which permission is not required) please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

Read more about how to correctly acknowledge RSC content.

Social activity

Spotlight

Advertisements