title: Conducting nanofibers and organogels derived from the self-assembly of tetrathiafulvalene-appended dipeptides.
abstract: We demonstrate the nonaqueous self-assembly of a low-molecular-mass organic gelator based on an electroactive p-type tetrathiafulvalene (TTF)-dipeptide bioconjugate. We show that a TTF moiety appended with diphenylalanine amide derivative (TTF-FF-NH2) self-assembles into one-dimensional nanofibers that further lead to the formation of self-supporting organogels in chloroform and ethyl acetate. Upon doping of the gels with electron acceptors (TCNQ/iodine vapor), stable two-component charge transfer gels are produced in chloroform and ethyl acetate. These gels are characterized by various spectroscopy (UV-vis-NIR, FTIR, and CD), microscopy (AFM and TEM), rheology, and cyclic voltammetry techniques. Furthermore, conductivity measurements performed on TTF-FF-NH2 xerogel nanofiber networks formed between gold electrodes on a glass surface indicate that these nanofibers show a remarkable enhancement in the conductivity after doping with TCNQ.
authors.affiliation: WestCHEM, Department of Pure & Applied Chemistry, University of Strathclyde , Glasgow G1 1XL, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Siva Krishna Mohan
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Nalluri
authors.forename: Nadezhda
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Shivarova
authors.forename: Alexander L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Kanibolotsky
authors.forename: Mischa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zelzer
authors.forename: Swati
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gupta
authors.forename: Pim W J M
authors.initials: PW
authors.lastname: Frederix
authors.forename: Peter J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Skabara
authors.forename: Helena
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Gleskova
authors.forename: Rein V
authors.initials: RV
authors.lastname: Ulijn
mesh_terms: D004151:Dipeptides / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry*; D005782:Gels / Q000138:chemical synthesis* / Q000737:chemistry; D006571:Heterocyclic Compounds / Q000737:chemistry*; D015394:Molecular Structure; D057139:Nanofibers / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D004151:Dipeptides; D005782:Gels; D006571:Heterocyclic Compounds; C063887:tetrathiafulvalene