title: Rust-Mediated Continuous Assembly of Metal-Phenolic Networks.
abstract: The use of natural compounds for preparing hybrid molecular films-such as surface coatings made from metal-phenolic networks (MPNs)-is of interest in areas ranging from catalysis and separations to biomedicine. However, to date, the film growth of MPNs has been observed to proceed in discrete steps (≈10 nm per step) where the coordination-driven interfacial assembly ceases beyond a finite time (≈1 min). Here, it is demonstrated that the assembly process for MPNs can be modulated from discrete to continuous by utilizing solid-state reactants (i.e., rusted iron objects). Gallic acid etches iron from rust and produces chelate complexes in solution that continuously assemble at the interface of solid substrates dispersed in the system. The result is stable, continuous growth of MPN films. The presented double dynamic process-that is, etching and self-assembly-provides new insights into the chemistry of MPN assembly while enabling control over the MPN film thickness by simply varying the reaction time.
authors.affiliation: ARC Centre of Excellence in Convergent Bio-Nano Science and Technology and the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, 3010, Australia.
authors.forename: Md Arifur
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-7994-2097
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Rahim
authors.affiliation: ARC Centre of Excellence in Convergent Bio-Nano Science and Technology and the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, 3010, Australia.
authors.forename: Mattias
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-9876-7079
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Björnmalm
authors.affiliation: ARC Centre of Excellence in Convergent Bio-Nano Science and Technology and the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, 3010, Australia.
authors.forename: Nadja
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-2130-1377
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Bertleff-Zieschang
authors.affiliation: ARC Centre of Excellence in Convergent Bio-Nano Science and Technology and the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, 3010, Australia.
authors.forename: Quinn
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-1779-9176
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Besford
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, 3010, Australia.
authors.forename: Srinivas
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-8645-8818
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mettu
authors.affiliation: ARC Centre of Excellence in Convergent Bio-Nano Science and Technology and the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, 3010, Australia.
authors.forename: Tomoya
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-3572-8988
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Suma
authors.affiliation: ARC Centre of Excellence in Convergent Bio-Nano Science and Technology and the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, 3010, Australia.
authors.forename: Matthew
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0003-1729-5813
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Faria
authors.affiliation: ARC Centre of Excellence in Convergent Bio-Nano Science and Technology and the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, 3010, Australia.
authors.forename: Frank
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0197-497X
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Caruso
keywords: chelates; etching; metal-phenolic networks; rust; self-assembly