Natural molecular machines have inspired the development of artificial molecular machines,which have the potential to revolutionize several areas of technology.Artificial molecular machines commonly employ molecular s...Natural molecular machines have inspired the development of artificial molecular machines,which have the potential to revolutionize several areas of technology.Artificial molecular machines commonly employ molecular switches,molecular motors,and molecular shuttles as fundamental building blocks.The observation of artificial molecular machines constructed by these building blocks can be highly challenging due to their small sizes and intricate behaviors.The use of modern instrumentation and advanced observational techniques plays a crucial role in the observation and characterization of molecular machines.Furthermore,a well-designed molecular structure is also a critical factor in making molecular ma-chines more observable.This review summarizes the common methods from diverse perspectives used to observe molecular machines and emphasizes the significance of comprehending their behaviors in the design of superior artificial molecular machines.展开更多
The low crosslink density characteristic of liquid crystal elastomer(LCE)materials causes poor fatigue resistance performance,which has seriously plagued their prospects in industrial applications.Here we report that ...The low crosslink density characteristic of liquid crystal elastomer(LCE)materials causes poor fatigue resistance performance,which has seriously plagued their prospects in industrial applications.Here we report that the introduction of 5 wt%liquid metal nanodroplets(average diameter:ca.195 nm)into the LCE network can dramatically reinforce the corresponding composite’s mechanical properties,in particular ultrahigh fatigue resistance,capable of bearing unprecedented 10,000 tensile cycles within a large range of strain amplitude up to 70%and 2000 times of continuous actuating deformations.Furthermore,this liquid metal-incorporated LCE composite material exhibits large actuation stroke(maximum actuation strain:55%),high actuation stress(blocking stress:1.13 MPa),fully reversible thermal/photo-actuation functions,and self-healing ability at moderate temperatures,which qualifies the composite material for high-load actuators.展开更多
Reversible switching from a highly rough surface to another entirely smooth surface under external stimuli is crucial for intelligent materials applied in the fields of an ti-foggi ng,self-clea ning,oil-water separati...Reversible switching from a highly rough surface to another entirely smooth surface under external stimuli is crucial for intelligent materials applied in the fields of an ti-foggi ng,self-clea ning,oil-water separati on and biotech no logy.In this work,a thermal-responsive liquid crystal elastomer(LCE)surface covered with oriented micropillars is prepared via a facile two-step crosslinking method coupled with an extrusion molding program.The reversible change of topological structures of the LCE surface along with temperature is investigated by metallographic microscope,atomic force microscopy and optical con tact angle measuring system.At room temperature,the LCE sample is filled with plenty of micropillars with an average len gth of 8.76 pm,resulting in a super-hydrophobic surface with a water con tact angle(WCA)of 135°.When the temperature is in creased to above the cleari ng point,all the micropillars disappear,the LCE surface becomes entirely flat and presents a hydrophilic state with a WCA of 64°.The roughness-related wetting property of this microstructured LCE surface possesses good recyclability in several heating/cooling cycles.This work realizes a truly reversible transformation from a highly rough surface to an entirely smooth surface,and might promote the potential applications of this dynamic-responsive LCE surface in smart sensors and biomimetic control devices.展开更多
A supramolecular nanoparticle that realized the loading and sustained release of ATP was successfully constructed from sulfato-b-cyclodextrin（SCD） and polyethylenimine（PEI）. The assembly and disassembly behaviors ...A supramolecular nanoparticle that realized the loading and sustained release of ATP was successfully constructed from sulfato-b-cyclodextrin（SCD） and polyethylenimine（PEI）. The assembly and disassembly behaviors of supramolecular nanoparticle were investigated by means of Tyndall effect,UV–vis spectroscopy, dynamic light scattering（DLS）, zeta potential and transmission electron microscopy（TEM）. Significantly, the resulting nanoparticle was disrupted with the increasing of p H and recovered to the spherical nanoparticle as the p H decreased to initial value. Owing to the positive zeta potential, the supramolecular nanoparticle showed the good loading and sustained release abilities towards ATP.展开更多
Achieving multicolor photoluminescence under multiple stimuli response based on a single fluorescent compound remains a great challenge. Herein, we report a novel multicolor fluorescent supramolecular assembly, which ...Achieving multicolor photoluminescence under multiple stimuli response based on a single fluorescent compound remains a great challenge. Herein, we report a novel multicolor fluorescent supramolecular assembly, which was constructed from surfactant sodium dodecyl sulfate （SLS） and fluorescent compound 1 bearing a rigid symmetrical acceptor-donor-acceptor structure. The luminescence property of 1/SLS assembly showed the multiple stimuli response towards temperature, cyclodextrin complexation and UV light irradiation, exhibiting the tunable emission wavelengths from 490 nm to 590 nm and the multicolor photoluminescence including cyan, green, yellow and orange. Furthermore, this assembly could be used in light writing owing to the fast fluorescence change within 15 s. These results could provide a convenient and useful method for fabricating smart tunable photoluminescent materials.展开更多
The development of synthetic polymers that mimic the double-stranded helical structure of DNA is a fascinating topic in polymer science.In this study,we designed and synthesized two chiral norbornene monomers containi...The development of synthetic polymers that mimic the double-stranded helical structure of DNA is a fascinating topic in polymer science.In this study,we designed and synthesized two chiral norbornene monomers containing adenine and thymine,which were mixed to form a hydrogen-bonding complementary complex,by which a ring-opening metathesis polymerization(ROMP)was performed.High-resolution transmission electron microscopy(HRTEM)undoubtedly showed the self-assembly of the optically active complementary nucleobasefunctionalized polynorbornenes into a double helix.Computer simulations and a two-dimensional nuclear Overhauser effect spectroscopy(2DNOESY)experiment showed that the doublestranded helical polynorbornene was derived from a copolymer of alternating adenine and thymine units.展开更多
基金supported by“Zhishan”Scholars Programs of Southeast University,Jiangsu Innovation Team Program,and the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities.
文摘Natural molecular machines have inspired the development of artificial molecular machines,which have the potential to revolutionize several areas of technology.Artificial molecular machines commonly employ molecular switches,molecular motors,and molecular shuttles as fundamental building blocks.The observation of artificial molecular machines constructed by these building blocks can be highly challenging due to their small sizes and intricate behaviors.The use of modern instrumentation and advanced observational techniques plays a crucial role in the observation and characterization of molecular machines.Furthermore,a well-designed molecular structure is also a critical factor in making molecular ma-chines more observable.This review summarizes the common methods from diverse perspectives used to observe molecular machines and emphasizes the significance of comprehending their behaviors in the design of superior artificial molecular machines.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(21971037)。
文摘The low crosslink density characteristic of liquid crystal elastomer(LCE)materials causes poor fatigue resistance performance,which has seriously plagued their prospects in industrial applications.Here we report that the introduction of 5 wt%liquid metal nanodroplets(average diameter:ca.195 nm)into the LCE network can dramatically reinforce the corresponding composite’s mechanical properties,in particular ultrahigh fatigue resistance,capable of bearing unprecedented 10,000 tensile cycles within a large range of strain amplitude up to 70%and 2000 times of continuous actuating deformations.Furthermore,this liquid metal-incorporated LCE composite material exhibits large actuation stroke(maximum actuation strain:55%),high actuation stress(blocking stress:1.13 MPa),fully reversible thermal/photo-actuation functions,and self-healing ability at moderate temperatures,which qualifies the composite material for high-load actuators.
基金by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Nos.21971037 and 51903048)Jiangsu Provincial Natural Science Foundation of China(No.BK20180406).
文摘Reversible switching from a highly rough surface to another entirely smooth surface under external stimuli is crucial for intelligent materials applied in the fields of an ti-foggi ng,self-clea ning,oil-water separati on and biotech no logy.In this work,a thermal-responsive liquid crystal elastomer(LCE)surface covered with oriented micropillars is prepared via a facile two-step crosslinking method coupled with an extrusion molding program.The reversible change of topological structures of the LCE surface along with temperature is investigated by metallographic microscope,atomic force microscopy and optical con tact angle measuring system.At room temperature,the LCE sample is filled with plenty of micropillars with an average len gth of 8.76 pm,resulting in a super-hydrophobic surface with a water con tact angle(WCA)of 135°.When the temperature is in creased to above the cleari ng point,all the micropillars disappear,the LCE surface becomes entirely flat and presents a hydrophilic state with a WCA of 64°.The roughness-related wetting property of this microstructured LCE surface possesses good recyclability in several heating/cooling cycles.This work realizes a truly reversible transformation from a highly rough surface to an entirely smooth surface,and might promote the potential applications of this dynamic-responsive LCE surface in smart sensors and biomimetic control devices.
基金the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Nos. 21432004, 21672113, 21772099 and 91527301) for financial support
文摘A supramolecular nanoparticle that realized the loading and sustained release of ATP was successfully constructed from sulfato-b-cyclodextrin（SCD） and polyethylenimine（PEI）. The assembly and disassembly behaviors of supramolecular nanoparticle were investigated by means of Tyndall effect,UV–vis spectroscopy, dynamic light scattering（DLS）, zeta potential and transmission electron microscopy（TEM）. Significantly, the resulting nanoparticle was disrupted with the increasing of p H and recovered to the spherical nanoparticle as the p H decreased to initial value. Owing to the positive zeta potential, the supramolecular nanoparticle showed the good loading and sustained release abilities towards ATP.
文摘Achieving multicolor photoluminescence under multiple stimuli response based on a single fluorescent compound remains a great challenge. Herein, we report a novel multicolor fluorescent supramolecular assembly, which was constructed from surfactant sodium dodecyl sulfate （SLS） and fluorescent compound 1 bearing a rigid symmetrical acceptor-donor-acceptor structure. The luminescence property of 1/SLS assembly showed the multiple stimuli response towards temperature, cyclodextrin complexation and UV light irradiation, exhibiting the tunable emission wavelengths from 490 nm to 590 nm and the multicolor photoluminescence including cyan, green, yellow and orange. Furthermore, this assembly could be used in light writing owing to the fast fluorescence change within 15 s. These results could provide a convenient and useful method for fabricating smart tunable photoluminescent materials.
基金The authors thank the National Natural Science Foundation of China(grant no.21971037)the Jiangsu Provincial Natural Science Foundation of China(grant no.BK20170024)for the support of this research project.
文摘The development of synthetic polymers that mimic the double-stranded helical structure of DNA is a fascinating topic in polymer science.In this study,we designed and synthesized two chiral norbornene monomers containing adenine and thymine,which were mixed to form a hydrogen-bonding complementary complex,by which a ring-opening metathesis polymerization(ROMP)was performed.High-resolution transmission electron microscopy(HRTEM)undoubtedly showed the self-assembly of the optically active complementary nucleobasefunctionalized polynorbornenes into a double helix.Computer simulations and a two-dimensional nuclear Overhauser effect spectroscopy(2DNOESY)experiment showed that the doublestranded helical polynorbornene was derived from a copolymer of alternating adenine and thymine units.
