Donor-acceptor interaction-driven self-assembly of amphiphilic rod-coil molecules into supramolecular nanoassembliesElectronic supplementary information (ESI) available. See DOI: 10.1039/c7nr05329k

• Main Authors: Yu, Shengsheng, Yang, Yuntian, Chen, Tie, Xu, Jingzhe, Jin, Long Yi
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 23.11.2017
• ISSN: 2040-3364; 2040-3372
• DOI: 10.1039/c7nr05329k

Rigid-flexible amphiphilic molecules consisting of an aromatic segment based on pyrene and biphenyl units and hydrophilic polyethylene oxide chains self-assemble into lamellar, hexagonal columnar, and two-dimensional columnar nanostructures in the bulk state. In aqueous solution, these molecules self-assemble into nanofibers, spherical micelles, and multilayer nanotubes, depending on the chain or rod length of the molecules. Notably, ordered nanostructures of supramolecular polymers, such as single-layer curving fragments, nanofibers, and nanosheets, were constructed through charge-transfer interactions between the nanoobjects and an electron-acceptor molecule, 2,4,5,7-tetranitrofluorenone. These experimental results reveal that diverse supramolecular morphologies can be controlled by tuning rod-coil molecular interactions or charge-transfer interactions between the donor and acceptor molecules. Pyrene-based amphiphiles self-assemble into nanofibers, spherical micelles and multilayer nanotubes. The addition of TNF allowed polymerization of these objects through charge-transfer interactions to form various supramolecular nanoassemblies.