Aromatic Functionalized Rosette Nanotubes

• Author / Creator

  Qin, Zhaoyi

• Rosette Nanotubes (RNTs) are a class of self-assembled organic nanomaterials generated through the spontaneous hierarchical organization of guanine-cytosine (G˄C) bases with a built-in self-assembling ability. Driven by non-covalent intermolecular forces in solution, G˄C bases self-assemble into six-membered macrocycles termed rosettes, which then undergo a second level of organization to stack into RNTs. RNTs have been widely utilized in drug delivery and tissue engineering. However, the use of RNTs in other research fields such as electronics remains unexplored. Due to the ease of chemical functionalization and the highly ordered nanostructure of RNT, it is an excellent scaffold to construct ordered matrix of organic electronic materials, which is essential for the performance of organic electronic devices. This thesis introduces a new method to prepare aromatic functionalized G˄C bases and investigate their unique self-assembly process and physical properties for the potential applications of RNTs in organic electronics. The first chapter reviews examples of self-assembled organic nanomaterials in the literature, with detailed descriptions of designs, significant properties, and applications. This chapter also presents various RNT systems developed by our group. The second chapter introduces a new method to functionalize RNTs with small aromatic groups as the initial steps to utilize RNTs for electronic applications. The self-assembly of aromatic functionalized G˄C bases prepared via a new synthetic pathway is explored and the resulting RNTs are characterized. The third chapter describes the synthesis and self-assembly of oligothiophene functionalized G˄C bases for organic electronics and discusses the unique structural and electronic properties of the resulting RNTs. The thesis concludes with a discussion of the prospects for utilizing RNTs in organic electronic devices.

• Subjects / Keywords

  • Organic synthesis
  • Oligothiophenes
  • Self-assembly
  • Supramolecular nanotubes
  • Organic electronics

• Graduation date

  Fall 2014

• Type of Item

  Thesis

• Degree

  Master of Science

• DOI

  https://doi.org/10.7939/R3SB3X64C

• License

  This thesis is made available by the University of Alberta Libraries with permission of the copyright owner solely for non-commercial purposes. This thesis, or any portion thereof, may not otherwise be copied or reproduced without the written consent of the copyright owner, except to the extent permitted by Canadian copyright law.