We introduced a novel concept, nanoarchitectonics, to develop nanoscale functional materials for bio-oriented applications. Nanoarchitectonics is a unified concept combining nanotechnology and methodologies in the related research fields, such as supramolecular chemistry, self-assembly, and self-organization, to satisfy the major features of nanosciences for the creation of functional materials or even devices and machines. This concept guides the harmonized assembly of nanoscale objects into higher order functional materials. For example, a novel type of three-dimensional capsular object has been prepared through the hybrid assembly of two-dimensional silica nanosheets called silica flake-shell capsules. The silica flake-shell capsules are spontaneously formed from silica nanoparticles through surface silica dissolution and immediate precipitation as nanosheets on the surface under hydrothermal conditions. The structure of the silica flake-shells can be rationally designed with different synthesis conditions, such as pH. The capsular design has been used to deliver an anticancer drug, doxorubicin, and oestradiol, a steroidal hormone. We have recently designed morphological hybrids of supramolecular assemblies of the fullerene C70. The prepared objects have hierarchical structures of basic cubic structures with nanorod antenna. Like the antenna of insects, these hierarchical C70 assemblies can sensitively detect volatile aromatic solvent vapor. Upon exposure of the plane cube to isopropyl alcohol, the dissolution of solvated C70 at the surface of the cube was initiated through the removal of the solvating mesitylene. The formation of an insect-antenna-like biomimetic structurewas complete. Sensing systems for chemical vapours were fabricated by placing the rod-on-cube structures on electrodes of QCM devices. Similarly, hole-in-cube structures have been also fabricated.

Nanoarchitectonics for functional materials: Nanosheet-capsule, hole-in-cube, cube with antenna, and so on

255th National Meeting (2018)

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