Issue 6, 2015

Reversible J- to H-aggregate transformation in thin films of a perylenebisimide organogelator

Abstract

A perylene bisimide organogelator is shown to behave as a reversible stimuli responsive material: thermal annealing and contact with organic non solvents allow to switch back and forth between a green J-type (Form I) and a red H-type (Form II) aggregate in thin films and powders of a N,N′-substituted H-bonding perylenebisimide (PBI-C10). Both, Form I and II were characterized by transmission electron (low dose high-resolution and electron diffraction) and atomic force microscopies, UV-vis and FTIR spectroscopies. The Form I → Form II transformation implies a redistribution of inter-molecular H-bonds between PBI molecules that form columnar stacks in Form I and supramolecular helices with enhanced long-range stacking in Form II. The reverse transformation is triggered by a contact of Form II films with H-bonding organic non solvents e.g. linear alcohols. It is proposed that solvent molecules diffusing in the Form II films can disrupt long-range H-bonding within helical stacks of Form II. Accordingly, PBI-C10 is shown to behave as a functional material responding successively to thermal and molecular stimuli.

Graphical abstract: Reversible J- to H-aggregate transformation in thin films of a perylenebisimide organogelator

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
27 Oct 2014
Accepted
02 Dec 2014
First published
08 Dec 2014
This article is Open Access
Creative Commons BY license

J. Mater. Chem. C, 2015,3, 1235-1242

Reversible J- to H-aggregate transformation in thin films of a perylenebisimide organogelator

A. Sarbu, L. Biniek, J. Guenet, P. J. Mésini and M. Brinkmann, J. Mater. Chem. C, 2015, 3, 1235 DOI: 10.1039/C4TC02444C

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