The Chemistry of Organic Nanomaterials

Abstract

The development of nanotechnology using organic materials is one of the most intellectually and commercially exciting stories of our times. Advances in synthetic chemistry and in methods for the investigation and manipulation of individual molecules and small ensembles of molecules have produced major advances in the field of organic nanomaterials. The new insights into the optical and electronic properties of molecules obtained by means of single-molecule spectroscopy and scanning probe microscopy have spurred chemists to conceive and make novel molecular and supramolecular designs. Methods have also been sought to exploit the properties of these materials in optoelectronic devices, and prototypes and models for new nanoscale devices have been demonstrated. This Review aims to show how the interaction between synthetic chemistry and spectroscopy has driven the field of organic nanomaterials forward towards the ultimate goal of new technology.

Science and technology of perfluorocyclobutyl aryl ether polymers

“…21 Their high T g , high thermal stability, superior optical clarity, and broad tailorability help to produce efficient devices with long lifetimes. 97 Hexa-peri-hexabenzocoronene (HBC) networks, pioneered by Müllen, 106,107 have advanced in materials applications such as liquid crystals, hole-transporting layers, and photonics. 108 Poor solubility is a limitation of HBCs, resulting in limited processing methods.…”

Expanding benzene to giant graphenes: towards molecular devices

“…Increasing size leads to greater delocalization of the p electrons and to a decreased difference between the HOMO and the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO), which is readily visible in the colour of the material (Grimsdale & Müllen 2005). A linear relationship was observed between the absorption maximum of the a-band and the number of 'full' aromatic rings figure 1).…”

“…SEM image of the pyrolyzed HBC-co-complex 34. Reproduced with permission from Grimsdale & Müllen (2005).…”

Synthesis of Dendrimer with PEG Core by Click Chemistry

“…Dendrimers, which are prepared by repetition of a given set of reactions using either divergent or convergent strategies, are highly branched and regular macromolecules with well-defined structures and have served as functional objects in nanotechnology and nanoscience. 1 The amphiphilic dendrimer polymers consisting of both hydrophobic and hydrophilic regions in the same molecule appear as an important issue throughout the physical and life sciences and can be considered unimolecular micelles. Amphiphilic dendrimer polymers can be classified into dendritic-linear polymers possessing a hydrophilic dendritic component and a hydrophobic linear polymer (or vice versa) and unimolecular dendritic amphiphiles.…”