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Supramolecular Electropolymerization
Author(s) -
Ellis Thomas K.,
Galerne Melodie,
Armao Joseph J.,
Osypenko Artem,
Martel David,
Maaloum Mounir,
Fuks Gad,
Gavat Odile,
Moulin Emilie,
Giuseppone Nicolas
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
angewandte chemie
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1521-3757
pISSN - 0044-8249
DOI - 10.1002/ange.201809756
Subject(s) - supramolecular chemistry , nucleation , supramolecular polymers , nanotechnology , polymerization , materials science , monomer , electrochemistry , electrode , nanoscopic scale , self assembly , polymer , chemistry , molecule , organic chemistry , composite material
Gaining control over supramolecular polymerization mechanisms is of high fundamental interest to understand self‐assembly and self‐organization processes at the nanoscale. It is also expected to significantly impact the design and improve the efficiency of advanced materials and devices. Up to now, supramolecular polymerization has been shown to take place from unimers in solution, mainly by variations of temperature or of concentration. Reported here is that supramolecular nucleation‐growth of triarylamine monomers can be triggered by electrochemistry in various solvents. The involved mechanism offers new opportunities to precisely address in space and time the nucleation of supramolecular polymers at an electrode. To illustrate the potential of this methodology, supramolecular nanowires are grown an oriented over several tens of micrometers between different types of commercially available electrodes submitted to a single DC electric field, reaching a precision unprecedented in the literature.