Tailored one- and two-dimensional self-assembly of a perylene diimide derivative in organic solvents

We report on studies of the tailored self-assembly of the perylene diimide derivative, N,N'-ditridecylperylene-3,4,9,10-tetracarboxylic diimide, into structures with fibrous gel-type, one-dimensional, and two-dimensional morphologies. This approach for producing highly ordered nanostructures of well-defined morphologies utilizes a property of π-conjugated molecules to assemble in poor organic solvents due to π-π interaction between the aromatic cores and takes advantage of the temperature dependence of solubility. The morphology control is based on a fine-tuning of anisotropic, intermolecular solute-solute interactions that are attenuated by the solute-solvent interaction in organic solvents of different chemical structure. We discuss the role of light illumination in the self-assembly process as well as application of ultrasonic treatment as a way of mechanical tailoring of morphology. This approach paves the way toward the molecular-scale tailoring of structural properties of organic semiconducting materials for electronic and optoelectronic applications.