Directed peptide amphiphile assembly using aqueous liquid crystal templates in magnetic fields. Issue 31 (20th June 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: van der Asdonk, Pim; Keshavarz, Masoumeh; Christianen, Peter C. M.; Kouwer, Paul H. J.
• Is Part Of: Soft matter. Volume 12:Issue 31(2016)
• Page Start: 6518
• Page End: 6525
• Publication Date: 2016-06-20
• Subjects: Soft condensed matter -- Periodicals; 530.413
• DOI: 10.1039/c6sm00652c
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1744-683X

Abstract

Abstract : Controlling structure formation of functional supramolecular materials by using aqueous liquid crystalline templates in magnetic fields. Abstract : An alignment technique based on the combination of magnetic fields and a liquid crystal (LC) template uses the advantages of both approaches: the magnetic fields offer non-contact methods that apply to all sample sizes and shapes, whilst the LC templates offer high susceptibilities. The combination introduces a route to control the spatial organization of materials with low intrinsic susceptibilities. We demonstrate that we can unidirectionally align one such material, peptide amphiphiles in water, on a centimeter scale at a tenfold lower magnetic field by using a lyotropic chromonic liquid crystal as a template. We can transform the aligned supramolecular assemblies into optically active π-conjugated polymers after photopolymerization. Lastly, by reducing the magnetic field strength needed for addressing these assemblies, we are able to create more complex structures by initiating self-assembly of our supramolecular materials under competing alignment forces between the magnetically induced alignment of the assemblies (with a positive diamagnetic anisotropy) and the elastic force dominated alignment of the template (with a negative diamagnetic anisotropy), which is directed orthogonally. Although the approach is still in its infancy and many critical parameters need optimization, we believe that it is a very promising technique to create tailor-made complex structures of (aqueous) functional soft matter.