TY - JOUR
T1 - Chiral crystal-like droplets displaying unidirectional rotational sliding
AU - Kajitani, Takashi
AU - Motokawa, Kyuri
AU - Kosaka, Atsuko
AU - Shoji, Yoshiaki
AU - Haruki, Rie
AU - Hashizume, Daisuke
AU - Hikima, Takaaki
AU - Takata, Masaki
AU - Yazawa, Koji
AU - Morishima, Ken
AU - Shibayama, Mitsuhiro
AU - Fukushima, Takanori
PY - 2019/3/1
Y1 - 2019/3/1
N2 - The self-assembly of organic molecules into supramolecular materials with structural ordering beyond the nanometre scale is challenging. Here, we report the spontaneous self-assembly of a chiral discotic triphenylene derivative into millimetre-sized droplets. The structure of the droplets is characterized by high positional and orientational ordering and a three-dimensional integrity similar to that of single crystals. Notwithstanding, these assemblies slide when placed on a vertical substrate demonstrating their fluid nature. X-ray imaging shows that during the sliding process the internal crystal-like structure is maintained and that the droplets undergo clockwise or counterclockwise unidirectional rotation, depending on the chirality of their molecular components. Rheological measurements suggest that this rotational behaviour might result from the distinct yield stress between the (R)- and (S)-enantiomers. Overall, our findings demonstrate that molecular chirality can determine the movement direction of a supramolecular structure, thus expanding the fundamental understanding of the structure and dynamics of soft materials.
AB - The self-assembly of organic molecules into supramolecular materials with structural ordering beyond the nanometre scale is challenging. Here, we report the spontaneous self-assembly of a chiral discotic triphenylene derivative into millimetre-sized droplets. The structure of the droplets is characterized by high positional and orientational ordering and a three-dimensional integrity similar to that of single crystals. Notwithstanding, these assemblies slide when placed on a vertical substrate demonstrating their fluid nature. X-ray imaging shows that during the sliding process the internal crystal-like structure is maintained and that the droplets undergo clockwise or counterclockwise unidirectional rotation, depending on the chirality of their molecular components. Rheological measurements suggest that this rotational behaviour might result from the distinct yield stress between the (R)- and (S)-enantiomers. Overall, our findings demonstrate that molecular chirality can determine the movement direction of a supramolecular structure, thus expanding the fundamental understanding of the structure and dynamics of soft materials.
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U2 - 10.1038/s41563-018-0270-7
DO - 10.1038/s41563-018-0270-7
M3 - Article
C2 - 30664694
AN - SCOPUS:85060346597
VL - 18
SP - 266
EP - 272
JO - Nature Materials
JF - Nature Materials
SN - 1476-1122
IS - 3
ER -