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Chakraborty C, Rajak A, Das A. Shape-tunable two-dimensional assemblies from chromophore-conjugated crystallizable poly(L-lactides) with chain-length-dependent photophysical properties. NANOSCALE 2024. [PMID: 38894626 DOI: 10.1039/d4nr01683a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/21/2024]
Abstract
This work reports temperature-dependent shape-changeable two-dimensional (2D) nanostructures by crystallization-driven self-assembly (CDSA) from a chromophore-conjugated poly(L-lactide) (PLLA) homopolymer (PTZ-P1) that contained a polar dye, phenothiazine (PTZ), at the chain-end of the crystallizable PLLA. The CDSA of PTZ-P1 in a polar solvent, isopropanol (iPrOH), by an uncontrolled heating-cooling process, majorly generates lozenge-shaped 2D platelets via chain-folding-mediated crystallization of the PLLA core, leading to the display of the phenothiazines on the 2D surface that confers colloidal stability and orange-emitting luminescent properties to the crystal lamellae. Isothermal crystallization at 60 °C causes a morphological change in PTZ-P1 platelets from lozenge to truncated-lozenge to perfect hexagon under different annealing times, while no shape change was noticed in the structurally similar PTZ-P2 polymer with a longer PLLA chain under similar conditions. This study unveils the complex link between the 2D platelet morphologies and degree of polymerization (DP) of PLLA and the corona-forming dye character. Further, the co-assembly potential of PTZ-P1 with hydrophobic pyrene-terminated PLLAs of varying chain lengths (PY-P1, PY-P2, and PY-P3) was examined, as these two dyes could form a Förster Resonance Energy Transfer (FRET) pair on the 2D surface. The impact of the length of the crystallizable PLLA on the photophysical properties of the surface-occupied chromophores revealed crucial insights into interchromophoric interactions on the platelet surface. A reduction in the propensity for π-stacking with increasing chain-folding in longer PLLAs is manifested in the chain-length-dependent FRET efficiencies and excimer emission lifetimes within the resultant monolayered 2D assemblies. The unconventional "butterfly-shaped" molecular architecture of the tested phenothiazine, combined with its varied functional features and polar character, adds a distinctive dimension to the underdeveloped field of CDSA of chromophore-conjugated poly(L-lactides), opening future avenues for the development of advanced nanostructured biodegradable 2D materials with programmable morphology and optical functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chhandita Chakraborty
- School of Applied and Interdisciplinary Sciences, Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science (IACS), 2A and 2B Raja. S.C. Mullick Road, Jadavpur, Kolkata-700032, India.
| | - Aritra Rajak
- School of Applied and Interdisciplinary Sciences, Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science (IACS), 2A and 2B Raja. S.C. Mullick Road, Jadavpur, Kolkata-700032, India.
| | - Anindita Das
- School of Applied and Interdisciplinary Sciences, Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science (IACS), 2A and 2B Raja. S.C. Mullick Road, Jadavpur, Kolkata-700032, India.
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Jiang J, Nikbin E, Liu Y, Lei S, Ye G, Howe JY, Manners I, Winnik MA. Defect-Induced Secondary Crystals Drive Two-Dimensional to Three-Dimensional Morphological Evolution in the Co-Self-Assembly of Polyferrocenylsilane Block Copolymer and Homopolymer. J Am Chem Soc 2023; 145:28096-28110. [PMID: 38088827 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.3c09791] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2023]
Abstract
Bottom-up fabrication protocols for uniform 3D hierarchical structures in solution are rare. We report two different approaches to fabricate uniform 3D spherulites and their precursors using mixtures of poly(ferrocenyldimethylsilane) (PFS) block copolymer (BCP) and PFS homopolymer (HP). Both protocols are designed to promote defects in 2D assemblies that serve as intermediate structures. In a multistep seeded growth protocol, we add the BCP/HP mixture to (1D) rod-like PFS micelles in a selective solvent as first-generation seeds. This leads to 2D platelet structures. If this step is conducted at a high supersaturation, secondary crystals form on the basal surface of these platelets. Co-crystallization and rapid crystallization of BCP/HP promote the formation of defects that act as nucleation sites for secondary crystals, resulting in multilayer platelets. This is the key step. The multilayer platelets serve as second-generation seeds upon subsequent addition of BCP/HP blends and, with increasing supersaturation, lead to the sequential formation of uniform (3D) hedrites, sheaves, and spherulites. Similar structures can also be obtained by a simple one-pot direct self-assembly (heating-cooling-aging) protocol of PFS BCP/HP blends. In this case, for a carefully chosen but narrow temperature range, PFS HPs nucleate formation of uniform structures, and the annealing temperature regulates the supersaturation level. In both protocols, the competitive crystallization kinetics of HP/BCP affects the morphology. Both protocols exhibit broad generality. We believe the morphological transformation from 2D to 3D structures, regulated by defect formation, co-crystallization, and supersaturation levels, could apply to various semicrystalline polymers. Moreover, the 3D structures are sufficiently robust to serve as recoverable carriers for nanoparticle catalysts, exhibiting valuable catalytic activity and opening new possibilities for applications requiring exquisite 3D structures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingjie Jiang
- Department of Chemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5S 3H6, Canada
| | - Ehsan Nikbin
- Department of Material Science and Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5S 3E4, Canada
| | - Yang Liu
- Department of Chemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5S 3H6, Canada
| | - Shixing Lei
- Department of Chemistry, University of Victoria, Victoria, British Columbia V8P 5C2, Canada
| | - Gang Ye
- Institute of Nuclear and New Energy Technology, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
| | - Jane Y Howe
- Department of Chemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5S 3H6, Canada
- Department of Material Science and Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5S 3E4, Canada
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Applied Chemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5S 3E2, Canada
| | - Ian Manners
- Department of Chemistry, University of Victoria, Victoria, British Columbia V8P 5C2, Canada
| | - Mitchell A Winnik
- Department of Chemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5S 3H6, Canada
- Department of Material Science and Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5S 3E4, Canada
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Xiao L, Parkinson SJ, Xia T, Edge P, O’Reilly RK. Enhancing the Scalability of Crystallization-Driven Self-Assembly Using Flow Reactors. ACS Macro Lett 2023; 12:1636-1641. [PMID: 37972303 PMCID: PMC10734305 DOI: 10.1021/acsmacrolett.3c00600] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2023] [Revised: 11/09/2023] [Accepted: 11/14/2023] [Indexed: 11/19/2023]
Abstract
Anisotropic materials have garnered significant attention due to their potential applications in cargo delivery, surface modification, and composite reinforcement. Crystallization-driven self-assembly (CDSA) is a practical way to access anisotropic structures, such as 2D platelets. Living CDSA, where platelets are formed by using seed particles, allows the platelet size to be well controlled. Nonetheless, the current method of platelet preparation is restricted to low concentrations and small scales, resulting in inefficient production, which hampers its potential for commercial applications. To address this limitation, continuous flow reactors were employed to improve the production efficiency. Flow platforms ensure consistent product quality by maintaining the same parameters throughout the process, circumventing batch-to-batch variations and discrepancies observed during scale-up. In this study, we present the first demonstration of living CDSA performed within flow reactors. A continuous flow system was established, and the epitaxial growth of platelets was initially conducted to study the influence of flow parameters such as temperature, residence time, and flow rate on the morphology of platelets. Comparison of different epitaxial growth manners of seeds and platelets was made when using seeds to perform living CDSA. Size-controllable platelets from seeds can be obtained from a series flow system by easily tuning flow rates. Additionally, uniform platelets were continuously collected, exhibiting improved size and dispersity compared to those obtained in batch reactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laihui Xiao
- School of Chemistry, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2TT, U.K.
| | - Sam J. Parkinson
- School of Chemistry, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2TT, U.K.
| | - Tianlai Xia
- School of Chemistry, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2TT, U.K.
| | - Phillippa Edge
- School of Chemistry, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2TT, U.K.
| | - Rachel K. O’Reilly
- School of Chemistry, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2TT, U.K.
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Tian J, Xie SH, Borucu U, Lei S, Zhang Y, Manners I. High-resolution cryo-electron microscopy structure of block copolymer nanofibres with a crystalline core. NATURE MATERIALS 2023:10.1038/s41563-023-01559-4. [PMID: 37217702 DOI: 10.1038/s41563-023-01559-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2022] [Accepted: 04/18/2023] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
Seeded growth of crystallizable block copolymers and π-stacking molecular amphiphiles in solution using living crystallization-driven self-assembly is an emerging route to fabricate uniform one-dimensional and two-dimensional core-shell micellar nanoparticles of controlled size with a range of potential applications. Although experimental evidence indicates that the crystalline core of these nanomaterials is highly ordered, a direct observation of their crystal lattice has not been successful. Here we report the high-resolution cryo-transmission electron microscopy studies of vitrified solutions of nanofibres made from a crystalline core of poly(ferrocenyldimethylsilane) (PFS) and a corona of polysiloxane grafted with 4-vinylpyridine groups. These studies show that poly(ferrocenyldimethylsilane) chains pack in an 8-nm-diameter core lattice with two-dimensional pseudo-hexagonal symmetry that is coated by a 27 nm 4-vinylpyridine corona with a 3.5 nm distance between each 4-vinylpyridine strand. We combine this structural information with a molecular modelling analysis to propose a detailed molecular model for solvated poly(ferrocenyldimethylsilane)-b-4-vinylpyridine nanofibres.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jia Tian
- Department of Chemistry, University of Victoria, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
- Key Laboratory of Synthetic and Self-Assembly Chemistry for Organic Functional Molecules, Center for Excellence in Molecular Synthesis, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Song-Hai Xie
- Department of Chemistry, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Ufuk Borucu
- GW4 Facility for High-Resolution Electron Cryo-Microscopy, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Shixing Lei
- Department of Chemistry, University of Victoria, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Yifan Zhang
- Department of Chemistry, University of Victoria, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Ian Manners
- Department of Chemistry, University of Victoria, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada.
- Centre for Advanced Materials and Related Technology (CAMTEC), University of Victoria, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada.
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Deng R, Mao X, Pearce S, Tian J, Zhang Y, Manners I. Role of Competitive Crystallization Kinetics in the Formation of 2D Platelets with Distinct Coronal Surface Patterns via Seeded Growth. J Am Chem Soc 2022; 144:19051-19059. [PMID: 36201750 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.2c07962] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Low dispersity 2D platelet micelles with controllable surface patterns were prepared by seeded-growth/living crystallization-driven self-assembly (CDSA) of block copolymer/homopolymer (BCP/HP) blends of poly(ferrocenyldimethylsilane)-b-poly(2-vinyl pyridine) (PFS-b-P2VP) and PFS. The precise morphology was found to be dependent on the proportion of the P2VP corona block, which can be efficiently controlled by changing the molar concentration ratio of PFS-b-P2VP/PFS, (cB/cH)t, as well as their relative rates of crystallization, (GB/GH)t. In the case where their molar concentration ratio was comparable to their crystallization rate ratio, platelets with a uniform distribution of P2VP coronal chains were formed. In other cases, as the concentration ratio increased (or decreased) during the living CDSA process, hierarchical structures were formed, including chain-like assemblies consisting of end-to-end linked rectangular platelets and fusiform (tapered) micelles. (GB/GH)t was adjusted by tuning the degree of polymerization of the crystallizable PFS core-forming block and the BCP block ratio and by varying the terminus of the HP or changing the solvent used. Furthermore, the open edge of the platelets remained active for further growth, which permitted control of the morphology and dimensions of the platelets. Interestingly, in cases where the molar concentration ratio was lower than the crystallization rate ratio, growth rings were observed after two or more living CDSA steps. This study on the formation of platelet micelles by living CDSA of BCP/HP blends under kinetic control offers a considerable scope for the design of 2D polymer nanomaterials with controlled shape and surface patterns.
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Affiliation(s)
- Renhua Deng
- School of Chemistry, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1TS, U.K.,Key Laboratory of Material Chemistry for Energy Conversion and Storage of Ministry of Education, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, China
| | - Xi Mao
- Key Laboratory of Material Chemistry for Energy Conversion and Storage of Ministry of Education, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, China
| | - Samuel Pearce
- School of Chemistry, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1TS, U.K
| | - Jia Tian
- School of Chemistry, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1TS, U.K
| | - Yifan Zhang
- School of Chemistry, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1TS, U.K
| | - Ian Manners
- School of Chemistry, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1TS, U.K.,Department of Chemistry, University of Victoria, Victoria, British Columbia V8W 3V6, Canada.,Centre for Advanced Materials and Related Technology (CAMTEC), University of Victoria, 3800 Finnerty Road, Victoria, British Columbia V8P 5C2, Canada
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