Oriented morphogenesis of ZnO nanostructures from water-soluble zinc salts under environmentally mild conditions and their optical properties

Herein, we report a bottom-up, mineralization strategy, which borrows key principles from biomineralization processes, to synthesize nanostructured materials. A long-chain polyamine simultaneously mineralizes and assembles ZnO nanoparticles directly from water-soluble zinc salts under sustainable synthesis conditions. These thus-generated oriented structures undergo interesting morphogenesis that is controlled by changing the ratio of polyamine/Zn(2+) ions. As the ratio increases, the morphology changes from a spherical shape to oval-, dumbbell-, and finally hexagonal-rod-shaped structures that contain unique hollow rod structures. Using XPS, XRD, FT-IR, Raman spectroscopy, DLS, and confocal fluorescence microscopic analysis, we elucidate the mechanism of structural evolution; this mechanism involves the initial formation of a zinc/amine complex that is furnished with polyamine chains. These chains facilitate the condensation process to form ZnO nanoparticles and their assembly in aqueous medium at neutral pH. Further, the presence of defects in the thus-morphogenized ZnO structures leads to blue luminescence and efficient photoinduced activity, assisted by the surface-hole-trapping effect of polyamines.     

DNA/Polymeric Micelle Self-Assembly Mimicking Chromatin Compaction

Get your daily (nano)fiber: Assemblies of DNA and polymeric core-shell micelles evolve from longer beads-on-a-string structures to shorter monodisperse solenoidal core-shell nanofibers. This self-assembly method allows for synthesis of one-dimensional nanomaterials with controlled dimensions and compositions, overcoming a limitation of existing nanomaterial synthesis.     

Controlled Orientation in a Bio‐Inspired Assembly of Ag/AgCl/ZnO Nanostructures Enables Enhancement in Visible‐Light‐Induced Photocatalytic Performance

In a bio‐inspired approach, polyamine‐mediated mineralization of ZnO was explored to develop an environmentally benign methodology for synthesizing Ag/AgCl/ZnO nanostructures. The assembling properties displayed by the polyamines to create composite structures was utilized to have the nanocomponents effectively interact with each other in a way that is desirable for the application envisaged. The polyamines, which act as a mineralizing agent for ZnO nanoparticles, also facilitate the formation of Ag/AgCl within ZnO under ambient conditions. Thus synthesized Ag/AgCl/ZnO nanostructures represent a multi‐heterojunction system in which the nanocomponents lead in a synergistic way to enhancement in the photocatalytic activity under visible‐light irradiation.     

Synthesis and self‐assembly of hyperbranched polymers with benzoyl terminal arms

Hyperbranched polyesters (HPs) with a variable content of benzoyl terminal groups were synthesized through the chemical modification of the HPs' cores by substituting a controlled fraction of the terminal hydroxyl groups with benzoyl chloride. The resulting hyperbranched polymers that were modified by benzoyl groups (HPs‐B) were characterized by ¹H NMR, FTIR, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and gel permeation chromatography (GPC). Research results revealed that self‐assembled structures could be formed in selected solvents (acetone/n‐hexane). It was found that the morphologies of self‐assembled structures could be adjusted by controlling the content of outside benzoyl terminal groups in the hyperbranched polymers, the volume ratio of acetone with n‐hexane, and the concentration of the hyperbranched polymers with benzoyl terminal arms. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 43: 5554–5561, 2005     

7-Azaindolyl- and 2,2'-dipyridylamino-functionalized molecular stars with sixfold symmetry: self-assembly, luminescence, and coordination compounds

Two novel star molecules functionalized with 7-azaindolyl and 2,2'-dipyridylamino groups have been synthesized. Both molecules possess a sixfold rotation symmetry. Molecule L1 is based on the hexaphenylbenzene core with the formula of hexa[p-(7-azaindolyl)phenyl]benzene, while molecule L2 is based on the hexakis(biphenyl)benzene core with the formula of hexa[p-(2,2'-dipyridylamino)biphenyl]benzene. Both compounds have been characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction analyses. Molecule L1 forms extended two-dimensional layered structure, while L2 forms interpenetrating columnar stacks in the solid state, as revealed by X-ray diffraction analyses. Nanowire structures based on columnar stacks through self-assembly of L2 on a graphite surface were revealed by an STM study. Molecules L1 and L2 are capable of binding to metal ions, resulting in unusual structural motifs. Two Ag(I) complexes with the formulae of [(AgNO(3))(2)(L1)] (1) and [(AgNO(3))(3)(L1)] (2) were isolated from the reactions of AgNO(3) with L1. Compound 1 displays extended intermolecular pi-pi stacking interactions that are responsible for its extended two-dimensional structure in the crystal lattice. Complex 2 has a "bowl" shape and forms polar stacks in the crystal lattice. A Cu(II) complex with the formula of [{Cu(NO(3))(2)}(6)(L 2)] (3) was isolated from the reaction of Cu(NO(3))(2) with compound L2. The six Cu(II) ions in 3 are chelated by the 2,2'-dipyridylamino groups of the star ligand L2. Intermolecular Cu-O (nitrate) bonds lead to the formation of an extended two-dimensional coordination network of 3. Both L1 and L2 are blue luminescent. Their interactions with Ag(I) or Cu(II) cause drastic quenching of emission. In addition, the luminescence of L1 and L2 is sensitive to the presence of protons, which cause a reduction of emission intensity and a red shift of the emission energy.     

Biomimetic Polymers Responsive to a Biological Signaling Molecule: Nitric Oxide Triggered Reversible Self‐assembly of Single Macromolecular Chains into Nanoparticles

Novel nitric oxide (NO) responsive monomers (NAPMA and APUEMA) containing o‐phenylenediamine functional groups have been polymerized to form NO‐responsive macromolecular chains as truly biomimetic polymers. Upon exposure to NO—a ubiquitous cellular signaling molecule—the NAPMA‐ and APUEMA‐labeled thermoresponsive copolymers exhibited substantial changes in solubility, clearly characterized by tuneable LCST behavior, thereby inducing self‐assembly into nanoparticulate structures. Moreover, the NO‐triggered self‐assembly process in combination with environmentally sensitive fluorescence dyes could be employed to detect and image endogenous NO.     

Lamellar bridged silsesquioxanes: self-assembly through a combination of hydrogen bonding and hydrophobic interactions

The synthesis of four bis(trialkoxysilylated) organic molecules capable of self-assembly--(EtO)3Si(CH2)3NHCONH-(CH2)n-NHCONH(CH2)3Si(OEt)3 (n = 9-12)--associating urea functional groups and alkylidene chains of variable length is described. These compounds behave as organogelators, forming supramolecular assemblies thanks to the intermolecular hydrogen bonding of urea groups. Whereas fluoride ion-catalysed hydrolysis in ethanol in the presence of a stoichiometric amount of water produced amorphous hybrids, acid-catalysed hydrolysis in an excess of water gave rise to the formation of crystalline lamellar hybrid materials through a self-organisation process. The structural features of these nanostructured organic/inorganic hybrids were analysed by several techniques: attenuated Fourier transformed infrared (ATR-FTIR), solid-state NMR spectroscopy (13C and 29Si), scanning and transmission electron microscopy (SEM and TEM) and powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD). The reaction conditions, the hydrophobic properties of the long alkylidene chains and the hydrogen-bonding properties of the urea groups are determining factors in the formation of these self-assembled nanostructured hybrid silicas.     

Self-assembled 3D architectures of LuBO3:Eu(3+): phase-selective synthesis, growth mechanism, and tunable luminescent properties

Rhombohedral-calcite and hexagonal-vaterite types of LuBO(3):Eu(3+) microparticles with various complex self-assembled 3D architectures have been prepared selectively by an efficient surfactant- and template-free hydrothermal process for the first time. X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectrometry, transmission electron microscopy, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, selected area electron diffraction, photoluminescence, and cathodoluminescence spectra as well as kinetic decays were used to characterize the samples. The pH, temperature, concentration, solvent, and reaction time have a crucial influence on the phase formation, shape evolution, and microstructure. The reaction mechanism is considered as a dissolution/precipitation process; it is proposed that the self-assembly evolution occurs by homocentric layer-by-layer growth. Under UV excitation and low-voltage electron beam excitation, calcite-type LuBO(3):Eu(3+) particles show a strong orange emission corresponding to the (5)D(0)-->(7)F(1) transition of Eu(3+) whereas vaterite-type LuBO(3):Eu(3+) particles exhibit a strong red emission with much higher R/O values (that is, chromatically redder fluorescence than that of crystals grown from a direct solid-state reaction). The tunable luminescent properties have potential applications in fluorescent lamps and field emission displays.     

A versatile bis-porphyrin tweezer host for the assembly of noncovalent photoactive architectures: a photophysical characterization of the tweezers and their association with porphyrins and other guests

A bis(Zn(II)-porphyrin) tweezer host with anthracene components as apex and side-arms has been synthesized. Mono- (pyridine) and bidentate (4,4'-bipyridine) guests were used as models for single and double axial coordination inside the cavity, respectively. A series of dipyridylporphyrin guests with different substitution patterns and excited-state energy levels have association constants with the tweezers that are of the order of 10(6) M(-1), which is indicative of complexation with the inside of the cavity. This complexation can only occur upon an important distortion of the cavity that opens the bite by about 30 %. This characteristic, in conjunction with their ability to reduce the bite distance by rotation around single bonds, makes these porphyrin tweezers amongst the most versatile so far reported, with tuning of the bite distance in the range of approximately 5-20 Angstroms. Energy transfer to the free-base guest within the triporphyrin complex is nearly quantitative (95-98 %) and the rates of transfer are consistent with a F?rster mechanism that is characterized by a reduced orientation factor.     

Controlling nanostructures of mesoporous silica fibers by supramolecular assembly of genetically modifiable bacteriophages

A useful virus: The synthesis of a new family of mesoporous silica fibers is reported. Monodisperse filamentous bacteriophages self-assembled into highly ordered hexagonal lattices that were used as templates for the formation of silica nanostructures. Removal of the bacteriophage assembly through calcination led to the formation of mesoporous silica fibers with pore structures precisely defined by the bacteriophage assembly (see picture).     

A modular approach to DNA-programmed self-assembly of macromolecular nanostructures

DNA-programmed organic reactions are new and powerful tools for assembling chemical compounds into predetermined complex structures and a brief review of their use is given. This approach is particular efficient for the selection and covalent coupling of multiple components. DNA-templated synthesis is used for polymerization of PNA tetramers and for copying of the connectivity information in DNA. Direct DNA-programmed multicomponent coupling of custom designed organic modules is described. The macromolecular structures obtained are highly conjugated potentially conducting nanoscaffolds. Some future developments in this area are discussed.     

Thermodynamic stability of hydrogen-bonded nanostructures: a calorimetric study

The self-assembly of hydrogen-bonded aggregates (rosettes) in solvent mixtures of different polarity has been studied by calorimetry. The C(50) parameter, the concentration when 50 % of the components are incorporated in the assembly, is used to compare assemblies with different stoichiometry. C(50) for the single rosette 1(3).(BuCYA)(3) (1=N,N-di(4-tert-butylphenyl)melamine; BuCYA=n-butylcyanuric acid) in 1,2-dichloroethane is 25 microM, whereas for double rosettes 2 a(3).(BuCYA)(6) and 2 b(3).(BuCYA) (2=calix[4]arene-dimelamine) it is 0.7 and 7.1 microM, respectively. DeltaG degrees, DeltaH degrees, and TDeltaS degrees values indicate that the thermodynamics of double rosettes reflect the independent assembly of two individual single rosette structures or two rosettes reinforced by additional stabilizing interactions. In more polar solvents the stability of double rosettes decreases. From the correlation of DeltaG degrees with solvent polarity it is predicted that it should be possible to assemble double rosettes in methanol or water. The assembly of 2 b(3).(BuCYA)(6) in 100 % MeOH was proven by (1)H NMR and CD spectroscopy.     

Fabrication of Self‐Assembled PEDOT/PSS‐ZnO Nanocables with Diverse Inner Core Sizes Facilitated by Vacuum Conditions

Summary: In this paper, PEDOT/PSS‐ZnO coaxial nanocables with diverse inner core sizes are prepared by a new and facile method that involves two‐steps: the synthesis of ZnO nanoparticles through a sol‐gel process, followed by dewetting‐controlled self‐assembly of the nanoparticles and charged polymers to generate a cable‐like nanostructure with the aid of a vacuum. The nanocables have an outer diameter of ca. 100 nm with a polycrystalline ZnO inner core of 7–25 nm in diameter. The length and morphology of the nanocables are determined by external vacuum conditions as well as the ZnO concentration in the composite. A photoluminescence study shows an enhanced green light emission arising from ZnO with a size‐dependence feature.

TEM image of a PEDOT/PSS‐ZnO nanocable at high magnification.     

Synthesis,physicochemical characteristics,and biocompatibility of self‐assemble polymers bearing guanine,cytosine, uracil,and thymine moieties

We synthesized chemically well‐defined brush (i.e., comb‐like) polymers bearing guanine, cytosine, uracil, or thymine moieties at the bristle ends. The polymers were stable up to 220 °C and were readily solution‐processable, yielding high‐quality films. Interestingly, the brush polymers favorably self‐assembled to form molecular multibilayer structures stabilized by hydrogen bonding interactions among the nucleobase moieties at the bristle ends, which provided nucleobase‐rich surfaces. The multibilayer‐structured polymer films showed high water affinity. They also displayed selective protein adsorption, suppressed bacterial adherence, facilitated cell adhesion, and exhibited good biocompatibility in mice. The brush polymer DNA‐mimicking comb‐like polymers are suitable as biomaterials and in protein separation applications. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2015 , 53, 1151–1160