Cell membranes of almost all living organisms are made of a phospholipid bilayer, as are the membranes surrounding cell nuclei and other sub–cellular structures. However, the fundamental understanding of bottom–up formation of highly continuous phospholipid bilayers from small amphiphilic molecules remains a big challenge. Here, we report an unprecedented biomimetic design of biomembrane–like, phosphonate engineered, amphiphilic organic semiconductors with the excellent self–assembly property. This bioinspired design enables us to use real–time <i>in–situ</i> atomic force microscopy to monitor the growth trajectories of such biomembrane–like films as they nucleate and crystallize from amorphous solid states in ambient conditions by mimicking the formation of cell membranes. We demonstrate that well–defined single–crystal films can grow through an evolutionary selection approach in a two–dimensional geometry, which includes five steps: partial wetting, film coalescence, spinodal decomposition, Ostwald ripening and 3–dimensional reorganization. Through these sophisticated processes, ultra–long and high–density microwire arrays with high carrier mobility are achieved, thus offering important mechanism insights into designing and developing functional high–performance organic optoelectronic materials and devices through molecular engineering.

Solid–state biomimetic crystallization of biomembrane–like high–mobility organic semiconductors

2019 Spring National Meeting

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