Multiple H-bonds directed self-assembly of an amphiphilic and plate-like codendrimer with janus faces at water-air...

An amphiphilic diblock codendrimer composed of a third generation poly(methallyl dichloride) end-capped by eight hydroxyl groups (PMDC(OH)(8)) and a second generation poly(urethane amide) end-capped by four alkyl groups (PUA(C16)(4)) were found to self-assemble into highly oriented ribbons at the water-air interface. Further investigation on the ribbon formation shows that the ribbons are hierarchically self-organized by the janus and plate-like shape of g3-PMDC(OH)(8)-b-g2-PUA(C16)(4). Sextuple H-bonds existing at different positions of the molecular plate are the main driving force for the one-dimensional growth of the ribbon. The recognition of these H-bonds leads to a highly ordered stacking of the codendrimers, and the crystallization of the alkyl chains results in a primary ribbon with a ca. 7.6 +/- 0.5 nm width. The primary ribbons prefer to organize into secondary ribbons with an average width of 53 +/- 6.0 nm. The manner of recognition and assembly is similar to the organization of a kind of toy building block with janus faces, which provides a new strategy to the design of well-defined nanomaterials.