Supramolecular assembly of rigid-flexible block molecules into organized nano-structures

One of the most fascinating subjects in areas such as nanoscience and biomimetic chemistry is concerned with the construction of novel complex macromolecular and supramolecular nanoscopic architectures with well defined shapes and functions by using specifically designed organic building blocks. Supramolecular assemblies of rod like mesogenic molecules containing flexible coils (rod-coil molecules) provide a facile entry into this area. In rigid-flexible block molecular system, the anisotropic orientation of the rod segments and the repulsion between the covalently connected blocks lead to self-organization into a wide variety of aggregation structures that can be manipulated by variation of the shape of the rigid segments, as well as the relative volume fraction of the rigid segment. Another interesting feature of rigid-flexible block molecules is their amphiphilic characteristic that can self-assemble into different aggregated structures via mutual interactions between block segments and solvent, depending on the solvent content and polarity.