Efficient Artificial Light-Harvesting System Based on Supramolecular Peptide Nanotubes in Water

Abstract

Artificial light-harvesting systems in aqueous media which mimic nature are of significant importance; however, they are often restrained by the solubility and the undesired aggregation-caused quenching effect of the hydrophobic chromophores. Here, we report a generalized strategy toward the construction of efficient artificial lightharvesting systems based on supramolecular peptide nanotubes in water. By molecularly aligning the hydrophobic chromophores along the nanotubes in a slipped manner, an artificial light-harvesting system with a two-step sequential Forster resonance energy transfer process is successfully fabricated, showing an energy transfer efficiency up to 95% and a remarkably high fluorescence quantum yield of 30%, along with high stability. Furthermore, the spectral emission could be continuously tuned from blue through green to orange, as well as outputted as a white light continuum with a fluorescence quantum yield of 29.9%. Our findings provide a versatile approach of designing efficient artificial light-harvesting systems and constructing highly emissive organic materials in aqueous media.

Chirality Effects in Peptide Assembly Structures

“…In 1974, according to theoretical analysis, Santis et al (1974) predicted that cyclic peptides comprised of an even number of alternating D - and L -amino acid residues with all side chains pointing to the outside of the ring would stack through main chain–main chain hydrogen bonds. Therefore, the self-assembled cyclic peptides almost take the arrangement of alternating D - and L -amino acid residues and exclusively self-assemble into nanotubes ( Insua and Montenegro, 2020 ; Song et al, 2020 ). In 2018, Li et al introduced an in-tether chiral group to liner peptides and designed a type of cyclized helical peptides that only consist of L -amino acid residues.…”

Uncommon Supramolecular Phosphorescence‐Capturing Assembly Based on Cucurbit[8]uril‐Mediated Molecular Folding for Near‐Infrared Lysosome Imaging

“…[30][31][32] However, the excited triplet state of phosphor tends to occur non-radiative relaxation decay caused by dissolved oxygen and water, so developing purely organic RTP systems in aqueous solution is still limited, especially with NIR emissive performance.Artificial light-harvesting systems (LHSs) are expectantly fabricated to mimic natural photosynthesis process for more efficient utilization of light energy, which are usually characterized by high donor/acceptor ratio to ensure that large amounts of donors transfer energy to one acceptor. [33][34][35] Supramolecular self-assembly turns out to be a practicable approach to build LHSs through the encapsulation of the chromophores to enhance corresponding luminescence and avoid self-quenching effect. [36,37] Supramolecular LHSs can be conveniently obtained by mixing relevant building units driven by noncovalent interactions.…”

Tubular supramolecular alternating copolymers fabricated by cyclic peptide–polymer conjugates

“…[41][42][43][44][45][46][47] Tubular supramolecular copolymers could be easily fabricated by mixing different cyclic peptide-polymer conjugates, which has been conrmed by attaching Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) dyes onto the conjugates. [48][49][50] Supramolecular statistical copolymers are expected to form as there are no differences regarding the driving forces between the two conjugates. To fabricate supramolecular copolymers with alternating sequences, an extra complementary noncovalent interaction needs to be introduced.…”