Controllable and Diversiform Topological Morphologies of Self-Assembling Supra-Amphiphiles with Aggregation-Induced Emission Characteristics for Mimicking Light-Harvesting Antenna

Abstract

Controllable construction of diversiform topological morphologies through supramolecular self-assembly on the basis of single building block is of vital importance, but still remains a big challenge. Herein, a bola-type supra-amphiphile, namely DAdDMA@2β-CD, is rationally designed and successfully prepared by typical host–guest binding β-cyclodextrin units with an aggregation-induced emission (AIE)-active scaffold DAdDMA. Self-assembling investigation reveals that several morphologies of self-assembled DAdDMA@2β-CD including leaf-like lamellar structure, nanoribbons, vesicles, nanofibers, helical nanofibers, and toroids, can be straightforwardly fabricated by simply manipulating the self-assembling solvent proportioning and/or temperature. To the best of knowledge, this presented protocol probably holds the most types of self-assembling morphology alterations using a single entity. Moreover, the developed leaf-like lamellar structure performs well in mimicking the light-harvesting antenna system by incorporating with a Förster resonance energy transfer acceptor, providing up to 94.2% of energy transfer efficiency.