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. 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 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 polymers remains a challenge, which hamper our ability to realize their potential. Here, we aim to expand the molecular and chemical diversity of supramolecular self-assembled polymers, allowing the production of new polymers with distinct attributes. In addition, utilizing a microfluidic platform, we intend to 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. We intend to be inspired by the diphenylalanine archetypical family of peptides, but to further explore even smaller minimalistic models. In addition, we propose to expand the diversity of materials and attributes employing non-coded amino acids, peptide nucleic acid-based systems and co-assembly approaches. We endeavor to elucidate the molecular basis of these self-assembly processes which may pave the way for the development of nanotechnological devices for future applications in the fields of biomedical devices and material science.