title: Creating new supramolecular materials by architecture of three-dimensional nanocrystal fiber networks.
abstract: The architecture of three-dimensional interconnecting self-organized nanofiber networks from separate needlelike crystals of L-DHL (lanosta-8,24-dien-3beta-ol:24,25-dihydrolanosterol = 56:44) in di-isooctylphthalate has been achieved for the first time, on the basis of the completely new concept of branching creation by additives (branching promoters). [In this work, an additive, ethylene/vinyl acetate copolymer (EVACP), is used at a concentration of several 10 ppm.] We demonstrate that this novel technique enables us to produce previously unknown self-supporting supramolecular functional materials with tailormade micro- or nanostructures, possessing significantly modified macroscopic properties, by utilizing materials thus far considered to be "useless". In addition, both the self-organized structure and the properties of the new materials can be fine-tuned by altering the processing conditions. Our results show that the formation of the interconnecting 3D self-organized network structure is controlled by a new mechanism, so-called crystallographic mismatch branching mechanism, as opposed to the conventionally adopted molecular self-assembly mechanism. The principles and criteria for the selection of branching promoters are also discussed from the point of view of molecular structures.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, National University of Singapore, 2 Science Drive 3, Singapore 117542. phyliuxy@nus.edu.sg
authors.forename: Xiang Yang
authors.initials: XY
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Prashant D
authors.initials: PD
authors.lastname: Sawant
authors.forename: Wee Beng
authors.initials: WB
authors.lastname: Tan
authors.forename: I B M
authors.initials: IB
authors.lastname: Noor
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pramesti
authors.forename: B H
authors.initials: BH
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D016503:Drug Delivery Systems; D019277:Entropy; D007810:Lanosterol / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000737:chemistry; D036103:Nanotechnology / Q000379:methods*; D010795:Phthalic Acids / Q000737:chemistry*; D012212:Rheology; D013261:Sterols / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D010795:Phthalic Acids; D013261:Sterols; C471688:diisooctyl phthalate; D007810:Lanosterol; C032279:phthalic acid; C015316:lanostenol