Kim, Dae-Yoon Christoff-Tempesta, Ty Lamour, Guillaume Zuo, Xiaobing Ryu, Ki-Hyun Ortony, Julia H. 2024-01-19T15:01:37Z 2024-01-19T15:01:37Z 2021-09-05 2021-04-14 1530-6984 https://pubs.kist.re.kr/handle/201004/117134 Self-assembly of small amphiphilic molecules in water can lead to nanostructures of varying geometries with pristine internal molecular organization. Here we introduce a photoswitchable aramid amphiphile (AA), designed to exhibit extensive hydrogen bonding and robust mechanical properties upon self-assembly, while containing a vinylnitrile group for photoinduced cis-trans isomerization. We demonstrate spontaneous self-assembly of the vinylnitrile-containing AA in water to form nanoribbons. Upon UV irradiation, trans-to-cis isomerizations occur concomitantly with a morphological transition from nanoribbons to nanotubes. The nanotube structure persists in water for over six months, stabilized by strong and collective intermolecular interactions. We demonstrate that the nanoribbon-to-nanotube transition is reversible upon heating and that switching between states can be achieved repeatedly. Finally, we use electron microscopy to capture the transition and propose mechanisms for nanoribbon-to-nanotube rearrangement and vice versa. The stability and switchability of photoresponsive AA nanostructures make them viable for a range of future applications. English AMER CHEMICAL SOC STILBENE CRYSTAL PHOTOISOMERIZATION ISOMERIZATION AZOBENZENE MOLECULES SPECTRA TRANS Morphological Transitions of a Photoswitchable Aramid Amphiphile Nanostructure Article 10.1021/acs.nanolett.0c05048 1 NANO LETTERS, v.21, no.7, pp.2912 - 2918 NANO LETTERS 21 7 2912 2918 scie scopus 000641160500029 2-s2.0-85103774651 Chemistry, Multidisciplinary Chemistry, Physical Nanoscience & Nanotechnology Materials Science, Multidisciplinary Physics, Applied Physics, Condensed Matter Chemistry Science & Technology - Other Topics Materials Science Physics Article STILBENE CRYSTAL PHOTOISOMERIZATION ISOMERIZATION AZOBENZENE MOLECULES SPECTRA TRANS Small-molecule self-assembly aramid amphiphile photoisomerization nanoribbon nanotube