Issue 11, 2016

Perylene bisimide hydrogels and lyotropic liquid crystals with temperature-responsive color change

Abstract

The self-assembly of perylene bisimide (PBI) dyes bearing oligo ethylene glycol (OEG) units in water affords responsive functional nanostructures characterized by their lower critical solution temperature (LCST). Tuning of the LCST is realized by a supramolecular approach that relies on two structurally closely related PBI–OEG molecules. The two PBIs socially co-assemble in water and the resulting nanostructures exhibit a single LCST in between the transition temperatures of the aggregates formed by single components. This permits to precisely tune the transition from a hydrogel to a lyotropic liquid crystal state at temperatures between 26 and 51 °C by adjusting the molar fraction of the two PBIs. Owing to concomitant changes in PBI–PBI interactions this phase transition affords a pronounced color change with “fluorescence-on” response that can be utilized as a smart temperature sensory system.

Graphical abstract: Perylene bisimide hydrogels and lyotropic liquid crystals with temperature-responsive color change

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Edge Article
Submitted
20 5月 2016
Accepted
13 7月 2016
First published
22 7月 2016
This article is Open Access

All publication charges for this article have been paid for by the Royal Society of Chemistry
Creative Commons BY license

Chem. Sci., 2016,7, 6786-6790

Perylene bisimide hydrogels and lyotropic liquid crystals with temperature-responsive color change

D. Görl, B. Soberats, S. Herbst, V. Stepanenko and F. Würthner, Chem. Sci., 2016, 7, 6786 DOI: 10.1039/C6SC02249A

This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported Licence. You can use material from this article in other publications without requesting further permissions from the RSC, provided that the correct acknowledgement is given.

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