Dynamic hook-and-eye nanoparticle sponges

Rafal Klajn*, Mark A. Olson, Paul J. Wesson, Lei Fang, Ali Coskun, Ali Trabolsi, Siowling Soh, J. Fraser Stoddart, Bartosz A. Grzybowski

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

106 Scopus citations

Abstract

Systems in which nanoscale components of different types can be captured and/or released from organic scaffolds provide a fertile basis for the construction of dynamic, exchangeable functional materials. In such heterogeneous systems, the components interact with one another by means of programmable, noncovalent bonding interactions. Herein, we describe polymers that capture and release functionalized nanoparticles selectively during redox-controlled aggregation and disaggregation, respectively. The interactions between the polymer and the NPs are mediated by the reversible formation of polypseudorotaxanes, and give rise to architectures ranging from short chains composed of few nanoparticles to extended networks of nanoparticles crosslinked by the polymer. In the latter case, the polymer/nanoparticle aggregates precipitate from solution such that the polymer acts as a selective 'spongeg' for the capture/release of the nanoparticles of different types.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)733-738
Number of pages6
JournalNature chemistry
Volume1
Issue number9
DOIs
StatePublished - Dec 2009

Funding

The research was supported by the Microelectronics Advanced Research Corporation and its Focus Center of Functional Engineered NanoArchitectonics. B.A.G. gratefully acknowledges the financial support from the Alfred P. Sloan Fellowship and from The Dreyfus Teacher-Scholar Award. Development of theoretical models was supported by the Non-equilibrium Energy Research Center an Energy Frontier Research Center funded by the US Department of Energy, Office of Science, Office of Basic Energy Sciences under award number DESC0000989. R.K. was supported by the NSF under the Northwestern MRSEC. L.F. gratefully acknowledges the support of the Ryan Fellowship at Northwestern University.

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General Chemistry
  • General Chemical Engineering

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