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Updated: Feb 5, 2026

Assembly of Gold Nanorods into Chiral Plasmonic Metamolecules Using DNA Origami Templates
Published on: March 5, 2019
A self-assembled photoresponsive gel consisting of chiral nanofibers
Lei Zou1, Dan Han1, Zhiyi Yuan1
1Key Laboratory for Advanced Materials and Institute of Fine Chemicals, School of Chemistry & Molecular Engineering, East China University of Science & Technology, Shanghai 200237, China.
Abstract:
A novel compound based on a glutamic acid skeleton, containing azobenzene as a photoresponsive group and ureidopyrimidinone (UPy) as a connection site, was designed and synthesized. The monomer is capable of forming an organogel in nonpolar organic solvents and different types of nanostructures in other solvents. The state of the gel and the chirality of the nanostructures could both be adjusted by subsequent light irradiation at different wavelengths. The helical nanofiber-like morphology was verified in the internal structure of the gel. The performance of this gel was investigated by a series of methods, such as UV-vis absorption spectroscopy, circular dichroism, scanning electron microscopy and rheological techniques. This work provides a new method for facile synthesis of chiro-optical gels.
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