Fabrication of supramolecular n/p-nanowires via coassembly of oppositely charged peptide-chromophore systems in aqueous media
Author(s)
Date
2017-07Source Title
ACS Nano
Print ISSN
1936-0851
Publisher
American Chemical Society
Volume
11
Issue
7
Pages
6881 - 6892
Language
English
Type
ArticleItem Usage Stats
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393
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Abstract
Fabrication of supramolecular electroactive materials at the nanoscale with well-defined size, shape, composition, and organization in aqueous medium is a current challenge. Herein we report construction of supramolecular charge-transfer complex one-dimensional (1D) nanowires consisting of highly ordered mixed-stack π-electron donor-acceptor (D-A) domains. We synthesized n-type and p-type β-sheet forming short peptide-chromophore conjugates, which assemble separately into well-ordered nanofibers in aqueous media. These complementary p-type and n-type nanofibers coassemble via hydrogen bonding, charge-transfer complex, and electrostatic interactions to generate highly uniform supramolecular n/p-coassembled 1D nanowires. This molecular design ensures highly ordered arrangement of D-A stacks within n/p-coassembled supramolecular nanowires. The supramolecular n/p-coassembled nanowires were found to be formed by A-D-A unit cells having an association constant (KA) of 5.18 × 105 M-1. In addition, electrical measurements revealed that supramolecular n/p-coassembled nanowires are approximately 2400 and 10 times more conductive than individual n-type and p-type nanofibers, respectively. This facile strategy allows fabrication of well-defined supramolecular electroactive nanomaterials in aqueous media, which can find a variety of applications in optoelectronics, photovoltaics, organic chromophore arrays, and bioelectronics.
Keywords
CoassemblyConductivity
Nanowires
Peptide chromophore
Self-assembly
Supramolecular
Charge transfer
Electric conductivity
Fabrication
Hydrogen bonds
Nanofibers
Nanostructured materials
Nanowires
Peptides
Self assembly
Supramolecular chemistry
Charge transfer complex
Coassembly
Electrical measurement
Electroactive material
Electron donor acceptors
One-dimensional (1D) nanowires
Organic chromophores
Supramolecular
Chromophores