title: Small-peptide-based organogel kit: towards the development of multicomponent self-sorting organogels.
abstract: The results presented here highlight the extremely useful nature of ultra-short peptides as building blocks in the development of smart multicomponent supramolecular devices. A facile bottom-up strategy for the synthesis of a small library of stimuli-responsive smart organogelators has been proposed based on the predictive self-assembly of ultra-short peptides. More importantly, the narcissistic self-sorting of the gelators has been evaluated as a simple method for the efficient co-assembly of a donor-acceptor dual-component gel, allowing the investigation of possible future applications of similar systems in the development of a supramolecular photo-conversion device. Interestingly, it was observed that the self-organization of the components can lead to highly ordered systems in which discrimination between compatible and non-compatible building blocks directs the effective organization of the chromophores and gives rise to the formation of an excited-state complex with exciplex-like emission. The current report may prove important in the development of organogel-based multicomponent smart devices.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical and Environmental Sciences, University of Toronto, 1265 Military Trail, Toronto, M1C 1A4 (Canada), Fax: (+1) 416 287-7197.
authors.forename: Rouzbeh
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Afrasiabi
authors.forename: Heinz-Bernhard
authors.initials: HB
authors.lastname: Kraatz
mesh_terms: D005296:Ferrous Compounds / Q000737:chemistry; D005782:Gels / Q000737:chemistry*; D000075163:Metallocenes; D049329:Nanostructures / Q000737:chemistry*; D010455:Peptides / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D011721:Pyrenes / Q000737:chemistry; D013696:Temperature; D014466:Ultraviolet Rays
chemical_list: D005296:Ferrous Compounds; D005782:Gels; D000075163:Metallocenes; D010455:Peptides; D011721:Pyrenes; C030984:pyrene; C004998:ferrocene
keywords: UV/Vis spectroscopy; gels; nanomaterials; peptides; self-assembly