A carboxylic acid-terminated dendrimer was synthesized via a Steglich esterification of a hyperbranched polyol precursor. Progressive neutralization of the carboxylic groups was carried out, yielding a series of ionic dendrimers. In the ionic clusters, the anion–cation electrostatic interactions induced by the neutralization process dramatically affected the chain mobility of the polymer chains and their order–disorder transition temperatures. The self-assembly of the ionic dendrimers from aqueous milieu into 2D tree morphologies is demonstrated, highlighting their potential use as a highly versatile template for multifunctional semiconductor applications.
- Thomas Chaffraix
- Andreea S Voda
- Kevin Magniez
