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Related Concept Videos

Structures of Solids02:22

Structures of Solids

Solids in which the atoms, ions, or molecules are arranged in a definite repeating pattern are known as crystalline solids. Metals and ionic compounds typically form ordered, crystalline solids. A crystalline solid has a precise melting temperature because each atom or molecule of the same type is held in place with the same forces or energy. Amorphous solids or non-crystalline solids (or, sometimes, glasses) which lack an ordered internal structure and are randomly arranged. Substances that...
Molecular and Ionic Solids02:54

Molecular and Ionic Solids

Crystalline solids are divided into four types: molecular, ionic, metallic, and covalent network based on the type of constituent units and their interparticle interactions.
Molecular Solids
Molecular crystalline solids, such as ice, sucrose (table sugar), and iodine, are solids that are composed of neutral molecules as their constituent units. These molecules are held together by weak intermolecular forces such as London dispersion forces, dipole-dipole interactions, or hydrogen bonds, which...
Ionic Crystal Structures02:42

Ionic Crystal Structures

Ionic crystals consist of two or more different kinds of ions that usually have different sizes. The packing of these ions into a crystal structure is more complex than the packing of metal atoms that are the same size.
Most monatomic ions behave as charged spheres, and their attraction for ions of opposite charge is the same in every direction. Consequently, stable structures for ionic compounds result (1) when ions of one charge are surrounded by as many ions as possible of the opposite...
Lattice Centering and Coordination Number02:33

Lattice Centering and Coordination Number

The structure of a crystalline solid, whether a metal or not, is best described by considering its simplest repeating unit, which is referred to as its unit cell. The unit cell consists of lattice points that represent the locations of atoms or ions. The entire structure then consists of this unit cell repeating in three dimensions. The three different types of unit cells present in the cubic lattice are illustrated in Figure 1.
Types of Unit Cells
Imagine taking a large number of identical...
Unit Cells01:18

Unit Cells

A crystal's internal structure is an orderly array of atoms, ions, or molecules, and the details of this array significantly influence the solid's properties. In a crystal, periodically repeating 'structural motifs' - which could be atoms, molecules, or groups thereof - create a 'space lattice.' This is essentially a three-dimensional, infinite array of points, each surrounded by its neighbors in an identical way, forming the basic structure of the crystal.A 'unit cell' is a theoretical...
Crystal Density01:19

Crystal Density

The crystal lattice structure of a material allows us to determine how many molecules exist in its unit cell. With this information, alongside the unit-cell parameters - three distance parameters (a, b, c) and three angular parameters (α, β, γ).Density (ρ) = (Z × M) / (a × b × c × NA)where:Z is the number of formula units per unit cellM is the molar mass of the substancea, b, and c are the edge lengths of the unit cellNA is Avogadro’s numberFor a simple cubic lattice, atoms are located only at...

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Controlling the Size, Shape and Stability of Supramolecular Polymers in Water
16:24

Controlling the Size, Shape and Stability of Supramolecular Polymers in Water

Published on: August 2, 2012

Giant supramolecular liquid crystal lattice.

Goran Ungar1, Yongsong Liu, Xiangbing Zeng

  • 1Department of Engineering Materials, University of Sheffield, Sheffield S1 3JD, UK. g.ungar@shef.ac.uk

Science (New York, N.Y.)
|February 22, 2003
PubMed
Summary

Researchers discovered a complex liquid crystal phase formed by self-assembled supramolecular dendrimers. This finding advances the design of advanced organic nanostructures for electronics and catalysis.

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Area of Science:

  • Supramolecular chemistry
  • Materials science
  • Liquid crystals

Background:

  • Self-organized supramolecular organic nanostructures are crucial for molecular electronics, photonics, and nanoporous catalysts.
  • Controlling self-assembly through molecular architecture is key to designing complex nanostructures.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To report a novel and complex liquid crystal phase.
  • To investigate the self-assembly of supramolecular dendrimers.
  • To propose a model for dendritic aggregate arrangement.

Main Methods:

  • Synthesis and characterization of supramolecular dendrimers.
  • Liquid crystal phase analysis.
  • Structural modeling.

Main Results:

  • Discovery of a liquid crystal phase with a tetragonal three-dimensional unit cell.
  • Observation of 30 globular supramolecular dendrimers per unit cell.
  • Each dendrimer self-assembles from 12 dendron molecules.

Conclusions:

  • The reported liquid crystal phase is one of the most complex discovered to date.
  • A model was proposed to explain the spatial arrangement of dendritic aggregates based on molecular architecture and temperature.
  • This work enables the design of more sophisticated supramolecular nanostructures.