title: Bilayers directly scrolling up to form nanotubes via self-assembly of an achiral small molecule.
abstract: The self-assembly behavior of a molecule composed of an azobenzene segment, carboxylic-acid group and flexible alkyl chains (denoted by ABA11) was studied as an extension of our proceeding work. We have previously reported that in DMSO solution ABA11 self-assembled into nanotubes starting from nanosheets and experiencing a meta-state of helical ribbons. Herein, we found that changing the solvent can also affect the self-assembly pathway of ABA11 to nanotubes. When DMSO was replaced by ethanol, the nanosheets formed by ABA11 bilayers either directly scrolled up to form nanotubes without a meta-state of helical ribbons at low concentrations, or stacked up to form nanobricks at higher concentrations. In addition, increasing the water content in ethanol can significantly facilitate the formation of the assembled nanostructures.
authors.affiliation: Suzhou Key Laboratory of Macromolecular Design and Precision Synthesis, State and Local Joint Engineering Laboratory for Novel Functional Polymeric Materials, College of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, China. songbo@suda.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Yajun
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Suzhou Key Laboratory of Macromolecular Design and Precision Synthesis, State and Local Joint Engineering Laboratory for Novel Functional Polymeric Materials, College of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, China. songbo@suda.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Shuai
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Suzhou Key Laboratory of Macromolecular Design and Precision Synthesis, State and Local Joint Engineering Laboratory for Novel Functional Polymeric Materials, College of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, China. songbo@suda.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Yanfeng
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Suzhou Key Laboratory of Macromolecular Design and Precision Synthesis, State and Local Joint Engineering Laboratory for Novel Functional Polymeric Materials, College of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, China. songbo@suda.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Yingzhi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Jin
authors.affiliation: Suzhou Key Laboratory of Macromolecular Design and Precision Synthesis, State and Local Joint Engineering Laboratory for Novel Functional Polymeric Materials, College of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, China. songbo@suda.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Yijun
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Xia
authors.affiliation: Suzhou Key Laboratory of Macromolecular Design and Precision Synthesis, State and Local Joint Engineering Laboratory for Novel Functional Polymeric Materials, College of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, China. songbo@suda.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Bo
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-7546-9482
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Song