Self-sorting in macroscopic supramolecular self-assembly via additive effects of capillary and magnetic forces

Minghui Tan; Pan Tian; Qian Zhang; Guiqiang Zhu; Yuchen Liu; Mengjiao Cheng; Feng Shi

doi:10.1038/s41467-022-32892-y

Self-sorting in macroscopic supramolecular self-assembly via additive effects of capillary and magnetic forces

Nat Commun. 2022 Sep 3;13(1):5201. doi: 10.1038/s41467-022-32892-y.

Authors

Minghui Tan¹, Pan Tian¹, Qian Zhang², Guiqiang Zhu², Yuchen Liu³, Mengjiao Cheng^{4

5

6}, Feng Shi^{7

8

9}

Affiliations

¹ State Key Laboratory of Chemical Resource Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, 100029, China.
² Beijing Laboratory of Biomedical Materials, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, 100029, China.
³ Beijing Advanced Innovation Centre for Soft Matter Science and Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, 100029, China.
⁴ State Key Laboratory of Chemical Resource Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, 100029, China. chengmj@mail.buct.edu.cn.
⁵ Beijing Laboratory of Biomedical Materials, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, 100029, China. chengmj@mail.buct.edu.cn.
⁶ Beijing Advanced Innovation Centre for Soft Matter Science and Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, 100029, China. chengmj@mail.buct.edu.cn.
⁷ State Key Laboratory of Chemical Resource Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, 100029, China. shi@mail.buct.edu.cn.
⁸ Beijing Laboratory of Biomedical Materials, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, 100029, China. shi@mail.buct.edu.cn.
⁹ Beijing Advanced Innovation Centre for Soft Matter Science and Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, 100029, China. shi@mail.buct.edu.cn.

Abstract

Supramolecular self-assembly of μm-to-mm sized components is essential to construct complex supramolecular systems. However, the selective assembly to form designated structures at this length scale is challenging because the short-ranged molecular recognition could hardly direct the assembly of macroscopic components. Here we demonstrate a self-sorting mechanism to automatically identify the surface chemistry of μm-to-mm components (A: polycations; B: polyanions) based on the A-B attraction and the A-A repulsion, which is realized by the additivity and the competence between long-ranged magnetic/capillary forces, respectively. Mechanistic studies of the correlation between the magnetic/capillary forces and the interactive distance have revealed the energy landscape of each assembly pattern to support the self-sorting results. By applying this mechanism, the assembly yield of ABA trimers has been increased from 30%~40% under conventional conditions to 100% with self-sorting. Moreover, we have demonstrated rapid and spontaneous self-assembly of advanced chain-like structures with alternate surface chemistry.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Magnetic Phenomena*
Physical Phenomena