title: Mechanosensitive Gold Colloidal Membranes Mediated by Supramolecular Interfacial Self-Assembly.
abstract: The ability to respond toward mechanical stimuli is a fundamental property of biological organisms at both the macroscopic and cellular levels, yet it has been considerably less observed in artificial supramolecular and colloidal homologues. An archetypal example in this regard is cellular mechanosensation, a process by which mechanical forces applied on the cell membrane are converted into biochemical or electrical signals through nanometer-scale changes in molecular conformations. In this article, we report an artificial gold nanoparticle (Au NP)-discrete π-conjugated molecule hybrid system that mimics the mechanical behavior of biological membranes and is able to self-assemble into colloidal gold nanoclusters or membranes in a controlled and reversible fashion by changing the concentration or the mechanical force (pressure) applied. This has been achieved by rational design of a small π-conjugated thiolated molecule that controls, to a great extent, the hierarchy levels involved in Au NP clustering by enabling reversible, cooperative non-covalent (π-π, solvophobic, and hydrogen bonding) interactions. In addition, the Au NP membranes have the ability to entrap and release aromatic guest molecules reversibly (Kb= 5.0 × 105M-1) for several cycles when subjected to compression-expansion experiments, in close analogy to the behavior of cellular mechanosensitive channels. Not only does our hybrid system represent the first example of a reversible colloidal membrane, but it also can be controlled by a dynamic mechanical stimulus using a new supramolecular surface-pressure-controlled strategy. This approach holds great potential for the development of multiple colloidal assemblies within different research fields.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Química Física I, Universidad Complutense de Madrid , Avda. Complutense s/n, 28040 Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: João Paulo
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Coelho
authors.affiliation: Nanostructured Molecular Systems and Materials Group, Departamento de Química Orgánica, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid , 28049 Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: María José
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Mayoral
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Química Física y Termodinámica Aplicada, Universidad de Córdoba , Campus de Rabanales, Edificio Marie Curie, 14014 Cordoba, Spain.
authors.forename: Luis
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Camacho
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Química Física y Termodinámica Aplicada, Universidad de Córdoba , Campus de Rabanales, Edificio Marie Curie, 14014 Cordoba, Spain.
authors.forename: María T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Martín-Romero
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Química Física I, Universidad Complutense de Madrid , Avda. Complutense s/n, 28040 Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Gloria
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Tardajos
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Química Física I, Universidad Complutense de Madrid , Avda. Complutense s/n, 28040 Madrid, Spain.|Instituto de Investigación Hospital 12 de Octubre i+12 , Avda. de Córdoba s/n, 28041 Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Iván
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: López-Montero
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Química Física I, Universidad Complutense de Madrid , Avda. Complutense s/n, 28040 Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Eduardo
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Sanz
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Química Inorgánica I, Universidad Complutense de Madrid , Avda. Complutense s/n, 28040 Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: David
authors.identifier: 0000-0003-0452-2482
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ávila-Brande
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Química Física y Termodinámica Aplicada, Universidad de Córdoba , Campus de Rabanales, Edificio Marie Curie, 14014 Cordoba, Spain.
authors.forename: Juan José
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-6673-300X
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Giner-Casares
authors.affiliation: Organisch-Chemisches Institut, Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster , Corrensstraße, 40, 48149 Münster, Germany.
authors.forename: Gustavo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Fernández
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Química Física I, Universidad Complutense de Madrid , Avda. Complutense s/n, 28040 Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Andrés
authors.identifier: 0000-0001-8576-2896
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Guerrero-Martínez
mesh_terms: D003102:Colloids / Q000737:chemistry; D006046:Gold / Q000737:chemistry*; D046911:Macromolecular Substances / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry; D053768:Metal Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry*; D008968:Molecular Conformation; D010316:Particle Size; D013499:Surface Properties
chemical_list: D003102:Colloids; D046911:Macromolecular Substances; D006046:Gold