Issue 3, 2015

Dual-tuning multidimensional superstructures based on a T-shaped molecule: vesicle, helix, membrane and nanofiber-constructed gel

Abstract

As a small molecule, N-(9-fluorenylmethoxy carbonyl)-glycine (FG) possesses a hydrophobic plane domain (π-conjugated section) and a hydrophilic domain (amino acid section), which can be designed into multi-dimensional self-assembly structures under dual tuning. Through controlling the concentration of T-shaped FG, the transformation between various morphologies has been achieved: vesicles are obtained at low concentrations (0.0025–0.005 wt%); helical fibers can be found at the concentration of 0.2 wt% though Gly has no stereocenter, resulting in the birth of chiral organization; fibrous bundles can accumulate into a three dimensional network to finally form a supramolecular gel. Taking gel as an example, we devised a variety of nanostructures including nanoparticles, microparticles, nanoribbons and membranes obtained by adding base. The mechanism of self-assembly formation has been investigated and this system is hoped to enrich the category of nanomaterials from amino acid or short peptides.

Graphical abstract: Dual-tuning multidimensional superstructures based on a T-shaped molecule: vesicle, helix, membrane and nanofiber-constructed gel

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
11 Oct 2014
Accepted
14 Nov 2014
First published
17 Nov 2014

RSC Adv., 2015,5, 1969-1978

Author version available

Dual-tuning multidimensional superstructures based on a T-shaped molecule: vesicle, helix, membrane and nanofiber-constructed gel

X. Chu, P. Xing, S. Li, M. Ma, J. Hao and A. Hao, RSC Adv., 2015, 5, 1969 DOI: 10.1039/C4RA12185F

To request permission to reproduce material from this article, please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

If you are an author contributing to an RSC publication, you do not need to request permission provided correct acknowledgement is given.

If you are the author of this article, you do not need to request permission to reproduce figures and diagrams provided correct acknowledgement is given. If you want to reproduce the whole article in a third-party publication (excluding your thesis/dissertation for which permission is not required) please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

Read more about how to correctly acknowledge RSC content.

Social activity

Spotlight

Advertisements