The design of supramolecular composite colloids is of great importance, as self-assembly allows the production of a variety of structures for example for carrier systems, nanotechnology or solar energy conversion. Recently we have introduced an approach to electrostatic self-assembly for the formation of well-defined and responsive supramolecular nano-objects in solution: building blocks are polyelectrolytes and multivalent organic counterions. Colloidal aggregates with varying shape such as spheres, cylinders, vesicles and networks result and pH-responsive assemblies can be built.  Key to the structural design is an interplay of electrostatics, p-p interaction and geometric factors. Through isothermal titration calorimetry, we quantify enthalpic and entropic contributions and can relate aggregation number and free energy of the assembly formation.Next to pH-responsiveness, light is an elegant, non-invasive stimulus: Supramolecular particles can be made the size of which can be triggered by light. Further, the possibility to design functional ionic assemblies in a facile manner is demonstrated by catalysis. New types of catalytically active self-assembled nanostructures in aqueous solution will be presented. For example, polyelectrolyte-porphyrin nanoscale assemblies exhibit up to 8-fold higher catalytic activity than the corresponding porphyrins without polymeric template.Composite nano-objects with metal and semiconductor nanoparticles as building blocks will also be discussed. Detailed structural characterization by static and dynamic light scattering, AFM, SANS, zeta-potential and spectroscopy yields insight into structural control in the self-assembly process and particle size control.

Functional and responsive supramolecular colloids through electrostatic self-assembly: Light-switchable, catalytically active and organic-inorganic assemblies

247th National Meeting (2014)

The official archive and repository for all ACS Meetings & Expositions abstracts and select posters or presentations.