Search

Some π-conjugated molecules exhibit tunable luminescence—a property that is useful for the next generation of optical devices. Yagai et al. propose a strategy to design these materials on a molecular level, which tailors the emission colour via structural changes in response to mechanical stimuli.

Mastering the synthesis of hierarchical molecular assemblies at the mesoscale—mimicking the precision of biomolecular assembly—has been challenging due to the lack of well-defined methodologies for controlling non-covalent interactions at multiple levels. In this Review, secondary nucleation is presented as a promising strategy for constructing mesoscale hierarchical structures.

Synthetic small molecules possessing both self-assembling properties and protein-binding capabilities can regulate the formation of protein nanotubes.

Despite being a promising soft material embodied by molecular self-assembly, the formation mechanism of supramolecular gels remains challenging to fully understand. This study describes a block-stacking model to provide molecular and nanoscopic insights.

By controlling the contribution of secondary nucleation in the self-assembly of chiral photoswitch molecules using light, it is possible to preferentially generate metastable aggregates, thereby reversing the supramolecular chirality.

Small-angle scattering is widely applied to nanoscale material systems enabling in-situ measurements, statistically significant analysis and the study of stimuli dependent dynamic changes. Here, the authors show how small-angle scattering techniques can be applied to the characterization of supramolecular polymers and complement other routinely used techniques.

A doughnut-shaped microstructure with single-handed helical feature has been created via the combination of bottom-up self-assembly and top-down solution depositing processes.

Dynamically controlling the conformations of 1D elongated supramolecular polymers can induce functions comparable to protein folding/unfolding. Here the authors show light-induced conformational changes of azobenzene-based supramolecular polymers from helically coiled to extended/randomly coiled conformations.

The ability to switch structure or function in response to an external stimulus is highly desirable for many applications. Here, the authors report the guidable supramolecular assembly of photocross-linkable molecules into different complex superstructures, dependant on their exposure to UV light.

Nanoscale toroids with a high percentage of poly-catenation and radii of up to about 13 nm are kinetically organized using fibrous supramolecular assemblies with intrinsic curvature and a solvent-mixing strategy.

Unlike natural supramolecular polymers, artificial counterparts do not have molecular recognition processes to preorganize the supramolecular complexes before final assembly. Here, the authors show supramolecular copolymerization driven by integrative self-sorting of two different monomers into discrete six-membered supramolecular complexes (rosettes).

Supramolecular polymers can form highly accessible polymeric nanomaterials. Here the authors report the facile preparation of supramolecular copolymers involving segregated secondary structures by cooling non-polar solutions containing two monomers that individually afford helically folded and linearly extended secondary structures.

Indirect control over the phase transition of luminogens by other stimuli-responsive materials in blends is challenging. Here, the authors report the self-assembly of photoresponsive solid and a mechanochromic luminescent materials, demonstrating a light-induced liberation of the sequestered luminophores.

Regioisomeric introduction of barbituric acid and aliphatic tail units onto anthracene core resulted in distinctly different π–π stacking arrangements upon aggregation in nonpolar solvent, resulting in the formation of supramolecular polymers with either non-helical or helically twisted fibrous morphologies. The difference in the topology of these fibrous nanoaggregates is attributed to the conformational difference of anthracene chromophores with respect to the plane of hydrogen-bonded supermacrocycle.

Ditopic hydrogen bonding melamines possessing perylene bisimide chromophores were synthesized and their self-aggregation and coaggregation with complementary guest molecules were investigated. In this system, 2-D lamellar structures of perylene bisimides were constructed through hierarchical organization of hydrogen-bonded tapes, which can gelate aliphatic and aromatic solvents. The resulting gels are highly transparent and exhibit remarkably low critical gelation concentrations of 8.0 × 10⁻⁴ M. The thermal stabilities and the mesoscopic morphologies of these organogels could be reasonably explained by the number of perylene bisimide chromophores introduced in the melamine components.