Temperature-controlled repeatable scrambling and induced-sorting of building blocks between cubic assemblies

Yi-Yang Zhan, Tatsuo Kojima, Kentaro Ishii, Satoshi Takahashi, Yohei Haketa, Hiromitsu Maeda, Susumu Uchiyama and Shuichi Hiraoka ()
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Yi-Yang Zhan: The University of Tokyo
Tatsuo Kojima: The University of Tokyo
Kentaro Ishii: National Institutes of Natural Sciences
Satoshi Takahashi: The University of Tokyo
Yohei Haketa: Ritsumeikan University
Hiromitsu Maeda: Ritsumeikan University
Susumu Uchiyama: National Institutes of Natural Sciences
Shuichi Hiraoka: The University of Tokyo

Nature Communications, 2019, vol. 10, issue 1, 1-8

Abstract: Abstract Separation of a homogeneous mixture of different components to reach an ordered out-of-equilibrium state in solution has attracted continuous attention. While this can be achieved using external chemical fuels or photo energy, an alternative energy source is heat. Here we realize a temperature-controlled cycle of transitions between ordered and disordered states based on a mixture of two kinds of building blocks that self-assemble into cubic structures (nanocubes). An almost statistical mixture of nanocubes (disordered state) is thermodynamically most stable at lower temperature (25 °C), while homoleptic assemblies composed of single components are preferentially produced at higher temperature (100 °C) followed by rapid cooling. The scrambling of the building blocks between the nanocubes takes place through the exchange of free building blocks dissociated from the nanocubes. Based on this mechanism, it is possible to accelerate, retard, and perfectly block the scrambling by the guest molecules encapsulated in the nanocubes.

Date: 2019
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-09495-1

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