Visualizing Assembly Dynamics of All-Liquid 3D Architectures

Pei-Yang Gu; Paul Y Kim; Yu Chai; Paul D Ashby; Qing-Feng Xu; Feng Liu; Qun Chen; Jian-Mei Lu; Thomas P Russell

doi:10.1002/smll.202105017

Visualizing Assembly Dynamics of All-Liquid 3D Architectures

Small. 2022 Feb;18(6):e2105017. doi: 10.1002/smll.202105017. Epub 2021 Dec 3.

Authors

Pei-Yang Gu^{1

2

3}, Paul Y Kim³, Yu Chai⁴, Paul D Ashby⁵, Qing-Feng Xu², Feng Liu⁶, Qun Chen¹, Jian-Mei Lu², Thomas P Russell^{3

7

8}

Affiliations

¹ Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Advanced Catalytic Materials and Technology, School of Petrochemical Engineering, Changzhou University, Changzhou, 213164, P. R. China.
² College of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, Collaborative Innovation, Center of Suzhou Nano Science and Technology, Soochow University, Suzhou, 215123, China.
³ Materials Sciences Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, 1 Cyclotron Road, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA.
⁴ Department of Physics, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.
⁵ Molecular Foundry, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, 1 Cyclotron Road, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA.
⁶ Department of Physics and Astronomy, Collaborative Innovation Center of IFSA (CICIFSA), Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai, 200240, P. R. China.
⁷ Polymer Science and Engineering Department, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, 01003, USA.
⁸ Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, 100029, China.

PMID: 35142068
DOI: 10.1002/smll.202105017

Abstract

To better exploit all-liquid 3D architectures, it is essential to understand dynamic processes that occur during printing one liquid in a second immiscible liquid. Here, the interfacial assembly and transition of 5,10,15,20-tetrakis(4-sulfonatophenyl) porphyrin (H₆ TPPS) over time provides an opportunity to monitor the interfacial behavior of nanoparticle surfactants (NPSs) during all-liquid printing. The formation of J-aggregates of H₄ TPPS^2- at the interface and the interfacial conversion of the J-aggregates of H₄ TPPS^2- to H-aggregates of H₂ TPPS^4- is demonstrated by interfacial rheology and in situ atomic force microscopy. Equally important are the chromogenic changes that are characteristic of the state of aggregation, where J-aggregates are green in color and H-aggregates are red in color. In all-liquid 3D printed structures, the conversion in the aggregate state with time is reflected in a spatially varying change in the color, providing a simple, direct means of assessing the aggregation state of the molecules and the mechanical properties of the assemblies, linking a macroscopic observable (color) to mechanical properties.

Keywords: 3D architectures; chromogenic materials; interfacial rheology; nanoparticle surfactants.

Publication types

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

MeSH terms

Porphyrins* / chemistry
Rheology
Surface-Active Agents / chemistry

Substances

Porphyrins
Surface-Active Agents