Assembly and Co-assembly of Novel Organic Supramolecular Polymers

Self-assembled supramolecular polymers demonstrate a unique set of chemical, mechanical, optical and piezoelectric properties. These structures emerge from the associations of building blocks through non-covalent interactions, to form well-ordered assemblies at the nano-, micro- and macro- scales. The dynamic nature of supramolecular polymers plays a key role in their organization, which is the basis for attributes such as self-healing, structural modulation, tunable physical properties and controllable reorganization. These qualities are highly desirable for nanotechnological device development for future applications in biomedicine and materials science. Yet, the structural diversity obtained by the use of a single type of building block is limited. Moreover, the manipulation and control of these supramolecular polymers remains a challenge, which hamper our ability to realize their potential. Here, we expand the molecular and chemical diversity of supramolecular self-assembled polymers, allowing the production of new polymers with distinct attributes. In addition, by utilizing a microfluidic platform, we conduct mechanistic studies of the assembly process at the individual structure level. The microfluidic platform allows us to rapidly adjust the immediate environment and modulate the process of self-organization. Moreover, examination and visualization of these systems at the individual level, rather than in the bulk, may aid us in understanding and adjusting the mechanisms to our interest. This work lays foundations for the rational control of nano-materials dimensions for applications in biomedicine and material science.