International Collaboration in Chemistry: Synthesis and Assembly of Shape-Adjustable, Reconfigurable Nanocrystals

美国研究人员及其国外同行（ICC）国际化学合作项目的重点是开发可调节形状的纳米晶体，用于组装可重构的上层结构。本课题研究了二乙烯和偶氮苯衍生物纳米晶体的合成及其组装成光响应纳米晶体。其中一个目标是生成有序结构，并在特定位置和特定时间使用激光照射使其光触发跃迁。其他目标是开发化学响应的纳米晶体组件以及Janus纳米晶体的各向异性重构。伊利诺伊大学厄巴纳-香槟分校的Granick小组得到了美国国家科学基金会化学部大分子、超分子和纳米化学项目的支持。九州大学的Kimizuka小组得到了合作的国际资助机构日本科学促进协会（JSPS）的支持。分子晶体材料具有很大的技术前景，但其晶体结构在时间上通常是静态的。美国和日本研究人员之间的这项研究合作是为了加强我们对如何设计和生产具有可重构增值元素的新结构的基本理解。这反过来又可以产生更有效的传感器、致动器和释放剂。学生长期访问日本合作伙伴实验室进行合作工作和培训，为学生提供宝贵的国际经验。

This International Collaboration in Chemistry between US Investigators and their Counterparts Abroad (ICC) project focuses on developing shape-adjustable nanocrystals for use in assembling reconfigurable superstructures. The synthesis of nanocrystals of diarylethene and azobenzene derivatives and their assembly into photo-responsive nanocrystals is developed in this project. One of the goals is to generate ordered structures and to enable their photo-triggered transitions using laser irradiation at specific locations and at specific times. Other goals are to develop chemo-responsive nanocrystal assemblies as well as the anisotropic reconfiguration of Janus nanocrystals. The Granick group at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is supported by the Macromolecular, Supramolecular and Nanochemistry Program of the NSF Chemistry Division. The Kimizuka group at Kyushu University is supported by the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS), the partnering international funding agency.Molecular crystal materials show great technological promise with the significant drawback that the crystal structure typically is static in time. This research collaboration between US and Japanese researchers is to enhance our fundamental understanding about how to design and produce new structures with the value-added element that they are reconfigurable. This in turn could lead to more effective sensors, actuators, and release agents. The extended visits of students to the Japanese partner laboratory for collaborative work and training provide students with valuable international experience.