Rod–coil block molecules: their aqueous self-assembly and biomaterials applications

Abstract

Past decades have witnessed rapidly growing interest in nanometer-sized structures, which have great potential to be used in a variety of applications, such as electronics, sensors, coatings, and biomaterials. Supramolecular chemistry in particular has been actively applied to the development of such materials. Nanostructures can readily be accessed using bottom-up supramolecular approaches as they are composed of small molecules (supramolecular building blocks) requiring fewer steps to synthesize. Among various types of supramolecular building blocks, rod-coil molecules, due to their anisotropic molecular shape, are well-suited for tailoring nanostructural properties such as size and shape. This Feature Article highlights the self-assembly of rod-coil molecules in aqueous solution and introduces an emerging approach to the application of rod-coil nanostructures in biomaterials applications.

Phase Transitionsand recent advances in liquid-crystals research

“…LC polymers are starting to be used in biomimicking color-producing structures, lenses, and muscle-like actuators [35]. New areas of application in the realms of biology and medicine are stimulating innovation in basic and applied research into these materials [109,110]. As researchers continue their endeavors, we can expect both incremental advances and technological leaps.…”

Characterization and Interfacial Behavior of Nanoparticles Prepared from Amphiphilic Hydrolysates of β-Conglycinin–Dextran Conjugates

“…The preparation of nanoparticles from amphiphilic molecules usually relies on the molecular structure, solvent environment, and concentration and is driven by noncovalent interactions including electrostatic interactions, hydrophobic interactions, π−π stacking, and hydrogen bonding. 10 Nanoparticles from block copolymers or amphiphilic graft involving a polysaccharide part such as dextran, chitosan, and hyaluronic acid were investigated, 11,12 and this may be because these nanoparticles can be optimized for site-specific delivery and generating an elevated ratio of the entrapped compounds which absorb to a specific tissue of the body. 12 Covalent bonds between protein molecules and polysaccharide molecules are formed via Maillard reaction, and the Amadori rearrangement steps occur when the reducing ends of carbonyl groups on polysaccharide molecules are linked to the ε-lysyl amino groups of protein molecules by the dry-heating method.…”

Polypeptide‐b‐Poly(Phenyl Isocyanide) Hybrid Rod‐Rod Copolymers: One‐Pot Synthesis, Self‐Assembly, and Cell Imaging

“…They have been used to construct biocompatible polymers, surfaces, and three-dimensional scaffolds for tissue engineering in macromolecular chemistry. [12][13][14] Among them, poly(γ-benzyl L-glutamate) (PBLG), usually prepared by the ring opening polymerization (ROP) of its corresponding N-carboxyanhydride (NCA), is known to form α-helical secondary structures in solution and solid states. [15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26] Nowadays, the use of PBLG as building blocks in block copolymer synthesis is well established, and it has shown assembly capacity to form micellar or vesicular nanoaggregates.…”