Figure 1: Schematic illustration of the selective self-assembly and self-sorting co-assembly processes. | Nature Communications

Figure 1: Schematic illustration of the selective self-assembly and self-sorting co-assembly processes.

From: A toolbox of oligopeptide-modified polymers for tailored elastomers

Figure 1

Depending on the oligopeptide length, the monofunctional oligo(L-alanine)-modified PIBs M0–M5 (n=0–5; x≈20) as well as the corresponding difunctional derivatives D0–D5 (n=0–5; x≈20) self-organize into (a) small hydrogen-bonded aggregates or (b) stacked β-sheet fibrils, accompanied by single β-sheet tapes. The coexistence of these nanostructures in blends of molecules with different oligopeptide termini results in (c) ‘inherently reinforced thermoplastic elastomers’ or (d) ‘interpenetrating supramolecular networks’.

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