Incorporation of organic crystals into the interspace of oriented nanocrystals: morphologies and properties

Abstract

Oriented nanocrystals, as seen in biominerals, have both the macroscopic hierarchical morphologies and the nanoscale interspace among the unit crystals. Here we studied the incorporation effects of the specific interspace in the oriented nanocrystals on the morphologies, properties, and applications of organic crystals. Organic crystals, such as 9-vinylcarbazole (VCz), azobenzene (AB), and pyrene (PY), were introduced into the specific interspace of oriented nanocrystals from the melts. The morphologies and properties of the incorporated organic crystals were systematically studied in these model cases. The incorporation of the organic crystals provided the composites with the original oriented nanocrystals. The incorporated organic crystals formed the single-crystalline structures even in the nanoscale interspace. The melts of the organic compounds were crystallized and grown in the interspace of the original materials. The incorporated organic crystals showed the specific phase transition behavior. The freezing points of the organic crystals were raised by the incorporation into the nanospace while the melting points were not changed. The hierarchical morphologies of the organic crystals were obtained after the dissolution of the original materials. The hierarchical morphologies of the original materials were replicated to the organic crystals. The incorporated organic crystal was polymerized without deformation of the hierarchical morphologies. The hierarchical polymer can be applied to the donor material for the generation of a larger amount of the charge-transfer complex with the acceptor molecule than the commercial polymer microparticles. The present work shows the potential use of the nanoscale interspace generated in the oriented nanocrystals.