Molecular Motifs Governing Gemini Surfactant Self-Assembly into Complex Lyotropic Liquid Crystalline Phases

在这项由化学系大分子、超分子和纳米化学计划资助的项目中，威斯康星大学麦迪逊分校的Mahesh Mahanthappa教授将研究双子座(双尾)两亲分子在水中自组装形成纳米结构软材料的微妙平衡，形成被称为溶致液晶(LLC)的材料。通过化学合成和表征各种结构不同的Gemini表面活性剂的LLC相行为，Mahanthappa和他的同事将识别特定的两亲性结构基元，这些结构基元指导Gemini表面活性剂自发形成双水连续LLC。双连续LLC是由相互渗透的水和疏水结构域组成的有用材料，这些结构域在宏观长度范围内三维渗透，这将加深我们对水中分子自组装力的理解，这具有重要的基础和实际意义。有利于双连续液晶形成的新的分子设计标准的发现可能对设计新的药物输送材料和用于水净化、燃料电池和电池的下一代膜具有重要意义。该项目的更广泛影响将包括培训本科生和研究生在有机材料化学的跨学科领域，通过学术出版物和全国会议演讲传播研究成果，并为高中生和大学新生开发实验室模块/演示，说明表面活性剂在水中的自组装，以设计技术上有用的纳米结构材料。

In this project funded by the Macromolecular, Supramolecular and Nanochemistry Program of the Chemistry Division, Prof. Mahesh Mahanthappa of the University of Wisconsin-Madison will study the delicate balance of forces underpinning the self-assembly of gemini ("twin tail") amphiphiles in water to form nanostructured soft materials known as lyotropic liquid crystals (LLCs). By chemically synthesizing and characterizing the LLC phase behavior of a variety of structurally diverse gemini surfactants, Mahanthappa and co-workers will identify specific amphiphile structural motifs that direct gemini surfactants to spontaneously form aqueous bicontinuous LLCs. Bicontinuous LLCs are useful materials comprised of interpenetrating aqueous and hydrophobic domains that percolate in three-dimensions over macroscopic length scales.This work will enhance our understanding of the forces governing molecular self-assembly in water, which is of significant fundamental and practical importance. Discovery of new molecular design criteria favoring bicontinuous liquid crystal formation may have important implications in the design of new drug delivery materials and next generation membranes for water purification, fuel cells, and batteries. The broader impacts of this project will include training undergraduate and graduate students in the interdisciplinary area of organic materials chemistry, disseminating research results through scholarly publications and national conference presentations, and developing laboratory modules/demonstrations for high school seniors and college freshman to illustrate surfactant self-assembly in water toward the design of technologically useful, nanostructured materials.