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Nanowires Formed by the Co‐Assembly of a Negatively Charged Low‐Molecular Weight Gelator and a Zwitterionic Polythiophene
Author(s) -
Li Feng,
Palaniswamy Ganesan,
de Jong Menno R.,
Åslund Andreas,
Konradsson Peter,
Marcelis Antonius T. M.,
Sudhölter Ernst J. R.,
Stuart Martien A. Cohen,
Leermakers Frans A. M.
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
chemphyschem
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.016
H-Index - 140
eISSN - 1439-7641
pISSN - 1439-4235
DOI - 10.1002/cphc.200900946
Subject(s) - nanowire , polythiophene , transmission electron microscopy , fluorescence , chemistry , conjugated system , polyelectrolyte , circular dichroism , confocal microscopy , carboxylate , chemical engineering , polymer , materials science , nanotechnology , crystallography , conductive polymer , organic chemistry , physics , quantum mechanics , microbiology and biotechnology , biology , engineering
Conjugated organic nanowires have been prepared by co‐assembling a carboxylate containing low‐molecular weight gelator (LMWG) and an amino acid substituted polythiophene derivative (PTT). Upon introducing the zwitterionic polyelectrolyte PTT to a basic molecular solution of the organogelator, the negative charges on the LMWG are compensated by the positive charges of the PTT. As a result, nanowires form through co‐assembly. These nanowires are visualized by both transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). Depending on the concentration and ratio of the components these nanowires can be micrometers long. These measurements further suggest that the aggregates adopt a helical conformation. The morphology of these nanowires are studied with fluorescent confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM). The interactions between LMWG and PTT are characterized by steady‐state and time‐resolved fluorescence spectroscopy studies. The steady‐state spectra indicate that the backbone of the PTT adopts a more planar and more aggregated conformation when interacting with LMWG. The time‐ resolved fluorescence decay studies confirm this interpretation.