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Self‐Assembly of Subnanometer‐Scaled Polyhedral Oligomeric Silsesquioxane (POSS) Macroions in Dilute Solution
Author(s) -
Zhou Jing,
Yin Panchao,
Hu Lang,
Haso Fadi,
Liu Tianbo
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
european journal of inorganic chemistry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.667
H-Index - 136
eISSN - 1099-0682
pISSN - 1434-1948
DOI - 10.1002/ejic.201402237
Subject(s) - silsesquioxane , chemistry , counterion , hydrogen bond , electrolyte , self assembly , supramolecular chemistry , ionic bonding , monomer , solvent , ion , acetone , chemical physics , molecule , organic chemistry , polymer , electrode
Both positively and negatively charged polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (POSS) electrolytes were observed to self‐assemble into blackberry‐type supramolecular structures in water/acetone mixed solvents, driven by the counterion‐mediated attraction. Laser light‐scattering studies reveal that the sizes of the blackberry structures increase with increasing acetone content, which suggests a charge‐regulated process. Studies on two oppositely charged POSS macroions with identical charges and similar sizes show the discrepancy between positively and negatively charged POSS macroions, which is related to counterions, ionic domains of macroions, and the water‐bridged hydrogen bonding between monomers. These POSS ions further decrease the lower size limit of macroions that can self‐assemble in polar solvents reported to date. The new phenomena were observed in the self‐assembly process of POSS macroions relative to other macroion systems.