Self-assembled main-chain poly(bile acid) membranes that wrinkle

Abstract

With prospects for application in much scientific research, wrinkle patterns have attracted much attention. Several delicate methods, including a pre-patterning process and a controlled stress release procedure, have been developed to fabricate well-controlled wrinkle patterns. In this work, we discovered accidentally that unsophisticated mechanical scratching can also lead to ordered wrinkle structures. Combining experiment results and theoretical models as well as the folding properties of bile acid derivatives, it is revealed that ordered spring-like structures and their organized aggregates (multi-lamellar membranes), which are all based on unique amphiphilicity and rigid steroid skeletons, play a crucial role in the formation of well-organized wrinkle patterns. As far as we know, this is the first attempt to explain polymer wrinkle phenomena on a molecular level. Furthermore, due to their excellent biocompatibility, these polymers may serve as new wrinkling materials and exhibit potential uses in the field of bioengineering.