ORGS1-1499
Interfacial Supramolecular Ionic Polymerization
Topic
GS1. Graduate Student Oral Session I: Colloidal and Interfacial Polymer Science
When and Where
Sep 28, 2026
16:12 - 16:24
Room 101
Session Chairs
Yoon-Ho HWANG
Jang-Hwan KIM
Hyosung AN
Presenter(s)
Xingjian Sun (The University of Tokyo)
Co-Author(s)
Abstract
Organic/inorganic hybrid materials offer a synergistic pathway to combine the processability of organic polymers with the electronic and catalytic functionalities of inorganic units. Among inorganic building blocks, polyoxometalates (POMs) are particularly attractive for their rich redox chemistry and photocatalytic potential. However, realizing their full potential is frequently hindered by miscibility issues and burial of active sites. Achieving a molecular-level dispersion of POMs while maintaining their accessibility remains a critical challenge in material science. To overcome these limitations, this study leverages the concept of supramolecular ionic polymerization recently pioneered by our laboratory, wherein multivalent guanidinium cations and oxyanions are salt-bridged to form crosslinked polymer networks. Here, POMs are introduced as oxyanionic monomers to undergo alternating copolymerization with cationic polyguanidinium monomers, forming functional organic/inorganic hybrid supramolecular polymers. While bulk dispersion addresses homogeneity, catalytic efficiency is often diffusion-limited in 3D networks. To maximize the exposure of the photoactive POM units, we further advanced this methodology by developing a two-dimensional (2D) confined supramolecular ionic polymerization strategy at the water/organic interface. By restricting the polymerization to a liquid-liquid interface, we successfully fabricated ultra-thin, free-standing hybrid nanofilms. This interfacial confinement not only directs the growth of the supramolecular network into high-aspect-ratio 2D structures but also ensures that the POM catalytic centers reside on the material surface, unencumbered by the steric bulk of a surrounding matrix resulting in efficient photocatalytic aerobic α-oxygenation of amides to imides.
