Affiliation: | 1. Nanomaterials Laboratory, Catalysis and Fine Chemicals, CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Technology, Hyderabad, 500007 India Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research, Ghaziabad, 201002 India;2. Nanomaterials Laboratory, Catalysis and Fine Chemicals, CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Technology, Hyderabad, 500007 India |
Abstract: | A bio-inspired method is used to render controlled wrinkling surface patterns on supramolecular architectures assembled from polyoxometalate (POM) clusters. It involves a polyamine-multivalent anion interaction generating positively charged coacervates, which while dictating the assembly of POM into spherical structures further facilitate an interesting surface morphogenesis with wrinkling patterns. This spontaneous surface wrinkling depends on the type of multivalent anion and the pH. As the polyamine-anion interaction becomes stronger, the wrinkles turn denser with lesser depth, which eventually undergoes post-buckling to engender a complex surface pattern. Interestingly, the order of influence exerted by different anions on the morphology follows the Hofmeister series. Moreover, the mild synthesis conditions keep the functional POM units dispersed in the sphere with a structural transformability to their lacunary form. |