Controllable Self-Assembly of Amphiphilic Zwitterionic PBI Towards Tunable Surface Wettability of the Nanostructures

Amphiphilic molecules have received wide attention as they possess both hydrophobic and hydrophilic properties, and can form diverse nanostructures in selective solvents. Herein, we report an asymmetric amphiphilic zwitterionic perylene bisimide (AZP) with an octyl chain and a zwitterionic group on the opposite imide positions of perylene tetracarboxylic dianhydride. The controllable nanostructures of AZP with tunable hydrophilic/hydrophobic surface have been investigated through solvent-dependent amphiphilic self-assembly as confirmed by SEM, TEM, and contact angle measurements. The planar perylene core of AZP contributes to strong π-π stacking, while the amphiphilic balance of asymmetric AZP adjusts the self-assembly property. Additionally, due to intermolecular π-π stacking and solvent-solute interactions, AZP could self-assemble into hydrophilic microtubes in a polar solvent (acetone) and hydrophobic nanofibers in an apolar solvent (hexane). This facile method provides a new pathway for controlling the surface properties based on an asymmetric amphiphilic zwitterionic perylene bisimide.