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Precise Control Over Kinetics of Molecular Assembly: Production of Particles with Tunable Sizes and Crystalline Forms
Author(s) -
Fan Qingrui,
Li Linhai,
Xue Han,
Zhou Heng,
Zhao Lishan,
Liu Jie,
Mao Junqiang,
Wu Shuwang,
Zhang Shizhong,
Wu Chenyang,
Li Xueming,
Zhou Xin,
Wang Jianjun
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
angewandte chemie international edition
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 5.831
H-Index - 550
eISSN - 1521-3773
pISSN - 1433-7851
DOI - 10.1002/anie.202003922
Subject(s) - stacking , crystallization , recrystallization (geology) , materials science , molecule , amorphous solid , kinetics , nanoparticle , nanotechnology , self assembly , chemical physics , crystallography , chemical engineering , chemistry , organic chemistry , paleontology , physics , quantum mechanics , engineering , biology
Abstract It has been long‐pursued but remains a challenge to precisely manipulate the molecular assembly process to obtain desired functional structures. Reported here is the control over the assembly of solute molecules, by a programmed recrystallization of solvent crystal grains, to form micro/nanoparticles with tunable sizes and crystalline forms. A quantitative correlation between the protocol of recrystallization temperature and the assembly kinetics results in precise control over the size of assembled particles, ranging from single‐atom catalysts, pure drug nanoparticles, to sub‐millimeter organic‐semiconductor single crystals. The extensive regulation of the assembly rates leads to the unique and powerful capability of tuning the stacking of molecules, involving the formation of single crystals of notoriously crystallization‐resistant molecules and amorphous structures of molecules with a very high propensity to crystallize, which endows it with wide‐ranging applications.