Multidimensional Materials Assembled by DNA Based Information

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This award is funded by the Macromolecular, Supramolecular and Nanochemistry Program in the Division of Chemistry. Professors Nadrian C. Seeman, and James W. Canary of New York University are supported to develop novel self-assembly approaches for controlling the orientation of polymer strands in confined spaces. The polymeric material will be directed to assemble based on information contained in pre-programmed branched-DNA scaffolds. The polymer strands are incorporated within the scaffolds with specified orientation and spacing to generate specific optical and electronic properties. Polymer-based organic materials have a wide range of practical applications, including in optical, electronic and solar energy conversion devices. Their properties depend not only on the chemical structure of the polymer, but also on the orientation of the polymer strands. Graduate and undergraduate students are trained in an interdisciplinary area of research. In addition, technical and educational activities are directed towards high school and college science students especially from underrepresented minorities. The project aims to develop a general strategy to organize conjugated oligomers and polymers by combining organic synthesis with pre-programmed DNA self-assembly. Specifically, this research investigates the incorporation of two types of semiconducting conjugated molecules -- oligopolyaniline (PANI) and poly- (p-phenylene vinylene) (PPV) -- in cage-like DNA nanoscale scaffolds and studies their elecrto-optical properties. The key experimental features are to control the length of the oligomers through stepwise organic synthesis and to covalently attached the oligomers to DNA strands. The general strategy is not limited to PANI and PPV; it can be applied to other oligomers with different electro-optical properties, as well as to fluorescent dyes, nanoparticles, and functional peptides. Study of how DNA scaffolds can be used to direct the assembly of these conjugated molecules is expected to provide insightful fundamental information about their structure/function relationships, which could eventually lead to new types of functional materials.