Synthesis and Self-Assembly of Colloidal Molecules

• Applicant: Professor Dr. Bart Jan Ravoo
• Subject Area: Physical Chemistry of Molecules, Liquids and Interfaces, Biophysical Chemistry
• Term: from 2016 to 2020
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 332724669

• Final Report Year: 2021

Final Report Abstract

Most colloids are isotropic particles that assemble in regular crystal structures in solution and on surfaces. The general aim of this bilateral Sino-German collaboration was to develop innovative methods to prepare colloidal molecules, i.e. well-defined clusters of Janus or patchy colloidal particles, and to investigate the self-assembly of such colloidal molecules in solution and on surfaces. To this end, colloidal particles were modified with polymer brushes that direct the particle-particle interaction in solution. Using functional polymer brushes on model surfaces, it was found that highly selective and reversible interactions can be induced by phenyl boronic acids and catechols as well as by host and guest molecules embedded in the polymer brushes. In this way, we developed surprisingly strong yet reversible surface adhesives. The host-guest interactions were also highly effective in the assembly of silica particles under geometric constraints, leading to well-defined ABn colloidal molecules. In related subprojects, we prepared hybrid colloidal molecules based on silica microparticles and metal nanoparticles, and we developed a microfluidic strategy for the preparation of anisotropic colloidal molecules. Finally, we prepared versatile photonic spheres based on nanoparticle clusters. By modification with polymers and polymer brushes, these complex colloids were converted into compartmentalized nanoreactors for cascade reactions as well as selective sensors and nanoporous membranes.

Publications

• Facile fabrication of highly controllable gating systems based on the combination of inverse opal structure and dynamic covalent chemistry. Nanoscale 2017, 9, 7268-7275
  Wang, Chen; Yang, Haowei; Tian, Li; Wang, Shiqiang; Gao, Ning; Zhang, Wanlin; Wang, Peng; Yin, Xianpeng & Li, Guangtao
  
• Carbohydrate responsive surface adhesion based on dynamic covalent chemistry of phenylboronic acid and catechol containing polymer brushes. Angew. Chem. 2018, 130, 2499–2503; Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2018, 57, 2474–2478
  Lamping, Sebastian; Otremba, Tobias & Ravoo, Bart Jan
  
• Creation of nonspherical microparticles through osmosis‐driven arrested coalescence of microfluidic emulsions. Small 2019, 1903884
  Feng, Kai; Gao, Ning; Zhang, Wanlin; Zhou, Kang; Dong, Hao; Wang, Peng; Tian, Li; He, Guokang & Li, Guangtao
  
• Functionalization and patterning of self-assembled monolayers and polymer brushes using microcontact chemistry. Acc. Chem. Res. 2019, 52, 1336–1346
  Lamping, Sebastian; Buten, Christoph & Ravoo, Bart Jan
  
• Responsive surface adhesion based on host-guest interaction of polymer brushes with cyclodextrins and arylazopyrazoles. Polymer Chem. 2019
  Lamping, Sebastian; Stricker, Lucas & Ravoo, Bart Jan
  
• Urea-functionalized poly(ionic liquid) photonic spheres for visual identification of explosives with a smartphone. ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces 2019, 11, 21078-21085
  Liu, Chengcheng; Zhang, Wanlin; Zhao, Yang; Lin, Changxu; Zhou, Kang; Li, Yanmei & Li, Guangtao
  
• Multifunctional integrated compartment systems for incompatible cascade reactions based on onion-like photonic spheres. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2020, 142, 20605–20615
  Zhou, Kang; Tian, Tian; Wang, Chen; Zhao, Hongwei; Gao, Ning; Yin, Hang; Wang, Peng; Ravoo, Bart Jan & Li, Guangtao
  
• Self-assembly of colloidal molecules based on host–guest chemistry and geometric constraints. Langmuir 2020, 36, 3924–3931
  Kurka, Dustin W.; Niehues, Maximilian & Ravoo, Bart Jan
  
• Polythiolactone-decorated silica particles – A versatile approach for surface functionalization, catalysis and encapsulation. Chem. Eur. J. 2021
  Kurka, Dustin Werner; Niehues, Maximilian; Kudruk, Sergej; Gerke, Volker & Ravoo, Bart Jan