Viscoelastic properties of supramolecular soft materials with transient polymer network

A series of supramolecular soft materials with hydrogen bonded transient networks was prepared by blending carboxy‐terminated telechelic poly(ethyl acrylate) (PEA‐(COOH)₂) and polyethyleneimine (PEI). Effects of PEA‐(COOH)₂ molecular weight (M_PEA) and the blend ratio on the viscoelastic properties were investigated by rheological and small angle X‐ray scattering measurements. Rubbery plateau appeared by adding PEI due to network formation with ionic hydrogen bonded crosslinks between amines on PEI and carboxylic acids on PEA‐(COOH)₂. The highest temperature of a storage modulus‐loss modulus crossover as well as the highest flow activation energy was attained at a certain mole ratio of amines to carboxylic acids, irrelevant to M_PEA, indicating optimized supramolecular networks were achieved by stoichiometric balance of two functional groups. Since telechelic PEA‐(COOH)₂ serves as a network strand, the plateau modulus was inversely proportional to M_PEA, which was consistent with the correlation length between crosslinks estimated by X‐ray scattering measurements. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part B: Polym. Phys. 2014 , 52, 755–764     

Hybrid polyoxovanadates: anion-influenced formation of nanoscopic cages and supramolecular assemblies of asymmetric clusters

Two novel hybrid polyoxovanadates that are functionalized by (4-aminophenyl)arsonic acid ligands form upon the reduction of vanadates(V) in aqueous systems, whereby the underlying condensation reactions are influenced by the nature of the employed acid. In the presence of Cl(-) ions that derive from hydrochloric acid, a tetradecanuclear cage structure [V(IV)(14)O(16)(OH)(8)-(O(3)AsC(6)H(4)-4-NH(2))(10)](4-), whose cavity contains stabilizing halide ions and water molecules, is obtained. When nitric acid is used, a decanuclear [V(10)O(18)(O(3)AsC(6)H(4)-4-NH(2))(7)(DMF)(2)](5-) cluster can be isolated. The latter organizes into a hexagonal packing arrangement in the solid state.     

Critical behavior of confined supramolecular soft materials on a microscopic scale

The formation of fiber networks and the resulting rheological properties of supramolecular soft materials are dramatically influenced when the volume of the system is reduced to a threshold. Unlike un-confined systems, the formation of fiber networks under volume confinement is independent of temperature and solute concentration.     

Enhancement of quadratic nonlinearity via multiple hydrogen-bonded supramolecular complex formation

The formation and quadratic nonlinearity of a multiple hydrogen-bonded 1:1 supramolecular complex 1.2 between the 2,6-diaminopyridine-based Lambda-shaped molecule, 1, and ferrocenyl barbituric acid, 2, in solution have been investigated by the hyper-Rayleigh scattering (HRS) and NMR techniques. A 6-fold increase in the molecular hyperpolarizability (beta) of the complex 1.2 over the sum of the molecular hyperpolarizabilities of the components 1 and 2 is seen. Such a significant enhancement in beta is attributed to the alignment of the molecular dipoles of 1 and 2 in the 2D plane leading to the creation of a large dipole moment in the plane of the supramolecular complex. Depolarized HRS experiments led to the determination of the in-plane polarization components of beta of the supramolecular complex 1.2. The component of beta in the direction of the dipole moment is large. This investigation exemplifies the role of multiple hydrogen bonds in stabilizing a 2D supramolecular architecture leading to a large enhancement of molecular nonlinearity.     

Shapes of supramolecular cages by ion mobility mass spectrometry

Mass spectrometry and drift tube ion mobility mass spectrometry have been used to analyse several isobaric, multicomponent cages yielding information on three dimensional structure, interactions and dynamics of assembly in the gas phase.     

Real time imaging of supramolecular assembly formation via programmed nucleolipid recognition

Supramolecular assembly formation resulting from molecular recognition between complementary nucleolipids has been visualized in real time at the micrometer scale.     

Combining coordination and supramolecular chemistry for the formation of uranyl-organic hybrid materials

Three hybrid compounds have been synthesized through hydrothermal reactions of UO(2)(NO(3))(2)·6H(2)O with 4-halobenzoic acid (X = Cl, Br, I). The formation of these compounds utilizes a composite synthesis methodology that explicitly employs aspects of both coordination chemistry and supramolecular chemistry (namely halogen···halogen interactions).     

Tuning of the morphology of a riboflavin-melamine equimolar supramolecular assembly by in situ silver nanoparticle formation

Tuning the supramolecular morphology of an equimolar complex of riboflavin and melamine by the in situ formation of different size silver nanoparticles, affecting the photoluminescence property.     

Anion-induced differential assembly and structural transformation of supramolecular coordination cages

The intimate host-anion interactions will regulate thermodynamics and kinetics in the self-assembly of cationic cages mimicking biological counterparts. Herein, we report construction and transformation of three Pd(Ⅱ)-based metal-organic cages(MOCs) depending on different anions. Stoichiometric conversions of the lantern-shaped MOC-34 into either octahedral MOC-35 or tricapped trigonal prism MOC-36 are induced by BF₄~– or NO₃~– , respectively. MOC-36 is kinetically favored ...     

Coordination-driven self-assembly of supramolecular cages: heteroatom-containing and complementary trigonal prisms

The self-assembly of three nanoscopic prisms of approximate size 1 x 4 nm is reported. Tetrahedral carbon, silicon, and phosphorus were used as structure-defining elements in these coordination-based cages. A carbon-based assembly completes a pair of nanoscopic complementary 3-D structures. The formation of the structures is supported by multinuclear NMR, ESI FT-ICR mass spectrometry, and elemental analysis data.     

Entropy directs the self-assembly of supramolecular palladium coordination macrocycles and cages

The self-assembly of palladium-based cages is frequently rationalized via the cumulative enthalpy (ΔH) of bonds between coordination nodes (M, i.e., Pd) and ligand (L) components. This focus on enthalpic rationale limits the complete understanding of the Gibbs free energy (ΔG) for self-assembly, as entropic (ΔS) contributions are overlooked. Here, we present a study of the M₂^linL₃ intermediate species (M = dinitrato(N,N,N′,N′-tetramethylethylenediamine)palladium(ii), ^linL = 4,4′-bipyridine), formed during the synthesis of triangle-shaped (M₃^linL₃) and square-shaped (M₄^linL₄) coordination macrocycles. Thermochemical analyses by variable temperature (VT) ¹H-NMR revealed that the M₂^linL₃ intermediate exhibited an unfavorable (relative) ΔS compared to M₃^linL₃ (triangle, ΔTΔS = +5.22 kcal mol⁻¹) or M₄^linL₄ (square, ΔTΔS = +2.37 kcal mol⁻¹) macrocycles. Further analysis of these constructs with molecular dynamics (MD) identified that the self-assembly process is driven by ΔG losses facilitated by increases in solvation entropy (ΔS_solv, i.e., depletion of solvent accessible surface area) that drives the self-assembly from “open” intermediates toward “closed” macrocyclic products. Expansion of our computational approach to the analysis of self-assembly in Pd_n^benL_2n cages (^benL = 4,4''-(5-ethoxy-1,3-phenylene)dipyridine), demonstrated that ΔS_solv contributions drive the self-assembly of both thermodynamic cage products (i.e., Pd₁₂^benL₂₄) and kinetically-trapped intermediates (i.e., Pd₈^cL₁₆).

These studies demonstrate that ΔS drives the self-assembly of supramolecular palladium-based coordination macrocycles and cages. As this ΔS contribution arises from solvation, these findings broadly reflect the thermodynamic drive of self-assembly to form compact structures.     

Controlling the composition of plasmonic nanoparticle arrays via galvanic displacement reactions on block copolymer nanotemplates

A versatile and facile route to control the composition of plasmonic nanoparticles (NP) aligned in a configuration of two dimensional nano-arrays is presented by applying galvanic displacement reactions on a pre-defined noble metal NP arrays which were prepared from diblock copolymer inverse micelles containing metal precursors.     

Direct evaluation via forced oscillation method of the electronic state density of sizable clusters

Metal clusters described in the framework of a simple tight binding model have been studied. Application of a dynamical approach (FOM), jointly with efficient storage of the sparse Hamiltonian matrix involved, is shown to allow direct evaluation of the electronic state density of sizable cubic-symmetry aggregates.     

Investigation of CO2 capture mechanisms of liquid-like nanoparticle organic hybrid materials via structural characterization

Nanoparticle organic hybrid materials (NOHMs) have been recently developed that comprise an oligomeric or polymeric canopy tethered to surface-modified nanoparticles via ionic or covalent bonds. It has already been shown that the tunable nature of the grafted polymeric canopy allows for enhanced CO(2) capture capacity and selectivity via the enthalpic intermolecular interactions between CO(2) and the task-specific functional groups, such as amines. Interestingly, for the same amount of CO(2) loading NOHMs have also exhibited significantly different swelling behavior compared to that of the corresponding polymers, indicating a potential structural effect during CO(2) capture. If the frustrated canopy species favor spontaneous ordering due to steric and/or entropic effects, the inorganic cores of NOHMs could be organized into unusual structural arrangements. Likewise, the introduction of small gaseous molecules such as CO(2) could reduce the free energy of the frustrated canopy. This entropic effect, the result of unique structural nature, could allow NOHMs to capture CO(2) more effectively. In order to isolate the entropic effect, NOHMs were synthesized without the task-specific functional groups. The relationship between their structural conformation and the underlying mechanisms for the CO(2) absorption behavior were investigated by employing NMR and ATR FT-IR spectroscopies. The results provide fundamental information needed for evaluating and developing novel liquid-like CO(2) capture materials and give useful insights for designing and synthesizing NOHMs for more effective CO(2) capture.     

Hydrogen bonding as the origin of both liquid crystallinity and polymer formation in some supramolecular materials

The use of lateral substitution on the aromatic rings of the diacid component of diacid/bispyridyl AABB supramolecular LC polymers is effective at retarding crystallization presumably by introducing a ‘carbuncle’ along the chain which interferes with the requisite efficient close packing of molecular units. We have examined both one and two chloro groups per ring and have observed a glass transition and fiber formation in the least crystalline complex.     

The supramolecular chemistry of organic-inorganic hybrid materials

The combination of nanomaterials as solid supports and supramolecular concepts has led to the development of hybrid materials with improved functionalities. These "hetero-supramolecular" ideas provide a means of bridging the gap between molecular chemistry, materials sciences, and nanotechnology. In recent years, relevant examples have been reported on functional aspects, such as enhanced recognition and sensing by using molecules on preorganized surfaces, the reversible building of nanometer-sized networks and 3D architectures, as well as biomimetic and gated chemistry in hybrid nanomaterials for the development of advanced functional protocols in three-dimensional frameworks. This approach allows the fine-tuning of the properties of nanomaterials and offers new perspectives for the application of supramolecular concepts.     

Nanobelt formation of magnesium hydroxide sulfate hydrate via a soft chemistry process

The nanobelt formation of magnesium hydroxide sulfate hydrate (MHSH) via a soft chemistry approach using carbonate salt and magnesium sulfate as reactants was successfully demonstrated. X-ray diffraction (XRD), energy dispersion X-ray spectra (EDS), selected area electron diffraction (SAED), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analysis revealed that the MHSH nanobelts possessed a thin belt structure (approximately 50 nm in thickness) and a rectangular cross profile (approximately 200 nm in width). The MHSH nanobelts suffered decomposition under electron beam irradiation during TEM observation and formed MgO with the pristine nanobelt morphology preserved. The formation process of the MHSH nanobelts was studied by tracking the morphology of the MHSH nanobelts during the reaction. A possible chemical reaction mechanism is proposed.     

Flexible bidentate pyridine and chiral ligands in the self-assembly of supramolecular 3-D cages

Discrete, nanoscopic 3-D cages are prepared in high yield via coordination-driven self-assembly from a variety of building blocks, including bidentate 3-substituted pyridines, chiral, and silicon-based tripods. All are characterized by NMR ((31)P, (1)H) and electrospray ionization mass spectrometry.     

Hierarchical self-assembly of crown ether based metal-carbene cages into multiple stimuli-responsive cross-linked supramolecular metallogel

The hierarchical self-assembly(HSA) strategy widely utilized in biological systems has been applied in artificial systems to orchestrate small building blocks into complex functional architectures. The non-interfering interactions glue various building blocks together and produce new species with attractive properties. Herein, we functionalized NHC-based assemblies with orthogonal host–guest interaction to fabricate metal-carbene based supramolecular polymer gel. A series of unique crown etherappended cylinder-like trinuclear AuIhexacarbene assemblies [Au_3(L)_2](PF_6)_3(L=D1–D4, A1–A4) were synthesized from the corresponding trisimidazolium salts H_3-L(PF_6)_3(L=D1–D4, A1–A4) in which the N-wingtip of the imidazole moieties were substituted with three identical crown ether groups of different sizes(B15C5, B18C6, B21C7, DB24C8). The gold carbene assembly is able to complex six ammonium salts without disrupting the underlying metal-carbene cylinders. In addition, the supramolecular polymer metallogel featuring a multiple-responsiveness can be formed by using [Au_3(A_4)_2](PF_6)_3 appended with DB24C8 as the core and bisammonium salt as the cross-linker. The case of introducing orthogonal interaction to NHC moiety by N-wingtip substitution demonstrates the feasibility and the power of such strategy to expand the NHC-based supramolecular system and endow them with novel properties.