From soap-like small molecules to stable nanofiber threads
발표자
()
초록
내용
Self-assembly of small molecule with precisely defined chemistry is an established route to produce high-surface-area nanostructures. However, these nanostructures are prone to dissociation upon drying. Here, we have developed a new material made out of supramolecularly organized amphiphiles that can retain their nanostructures in a water-free environment. The amphiphilic small molecules are consisted with three repetitions of the Kevlar monomeric unit; hydrophilic head of anionic, cationic, zwitterionic group; and hydrophobic end of bulky aliphatic moiety. When placed in water, the molecules start to form long bilayer nanoribbons. In one direction, the chains are connected via intermolecular hydrogen bonding. In the perperdicular direction, the molecules are cling together through the pi-pi stacking. A macroscopic thread fabricated by fiber drawing process remained stable and sturdy even when dried. This work was supported by grants from the Open Research Program (KIST).