Step-wise self-assembly is a promising strategy to construct assemblies with higher-level hierarchy and complexity. In this self-assembly
the primary assemblies can self-assemble into one-dimensional structures in a way similar to the synthesis of polymers. However
the questions such as whether the principle of polymerization can apply to the one-dimensional growth of the assemblies still need to be clarified. To address this question
Brownian dynamics simulation was used to investigate the self-assembly of the nanorods with two ends capped with hydrophobic polymers such as polystyrenes. In the Brownian dynamics simulation
the amphiphility was simulated by choosing different cutt-off distances of the Lennard-Jones potentials for the nanorods and polymers. It was found that the nanorods associated with each other into chain-like structures
via
end-to-end connection
due to the hydrophobility of the polymers. The effects of the solvent selectivity
the length of the nanorods
and the concentration of the nanorods on the self-assembly were examined. The self-assembly of the nanorods into chain-like structures resembles the covalent polymerization of the monomers. The kinetics of the polymerization follows the rule of the step-growth polymerization in most of the cases. As the length of the nanorods or the concentration of the nanorods increases
the degrees of the polymerization show a more rapid increase as a function of time. For the effect of the solvent selectivity
the nanorods are found to be " polymerized” more rapidly as the solubility of the polymers decreases. However
as the solubilty of the polymers is low enough
the " polymerization” behavior is remarkedly less influenced by the solvent selectivity. Note that the rule of the step-growth polymerization cannot apply to the one-dimensional self-assembly of the nanorods when the concentration of the nanorods or the solubility of the polymer is higher. In addition
we found that the nanorods can self-assemble into ring-like structures with various numbers of nanorods
via
designing nanorods with adjustable chamfers at two ends. The observations are well consistent with some available experimental findings regarding the self-assembly of gold nanorods coated with a bilayer of cetyl trimethyl ammonium bromide along its sides and thiol-terminated polystyrene at two ends. The work can help to understand the dynamics of the self-assembly and designing one-dimensional ordered microstructures in future.
Zhang Shuo(张朔), Li Qing(李庆), Lin Jiaping(林嘉平), Cai Chunhua(蔡春华), Wang Liquan(王立权) . Acta Polymerica Sinica(高分子学报) , 2017 . ( 2 ): 294 - 305.
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Related Institution
Shanghai Key Laboratory of Advance Polymeric Materials, School of Materials Science and Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology
State Key Laboratory of Chemical Resource Engineering, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology
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Shanghai Key Laboratory of Advanced Polymeric Materials, School of Materials Science and Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology
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