Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to Wang-Cheol Zin.
New wedge-shaped thermotropic liquid crystalline materials containing a guanidinium moiety at the apex organize into various supramolecular structures such as hexagonal columnar, rectangular columnar and Pm3n cubic mesophases depending on anions illustrating guest-directed self-organization in mesophases.
Hexagonal arrangement of iron oxide nanoparticles was fabricated by utilizing a single-layered film of diblock copolymer micelles. The synthesis was directly performed on the solid substrate by oxygen plasma with preserving the dimensional order of micelles so that separate procedures for synthesis and deposition of nanoparticles were not necessary. Since the oxygen plasma treatment also eliminated polymers, pure patterns of iron oxide nanoparticles were obtained. Moreover, easy control over the size of nanoparticles enabled us to selectively create a ferrimagnetic or a superparamagnetic pattern of iron oxide nanoparticles without altering the fabrication process.
We demonstrated the fabrication of electrically anisotropic thin films of alternating polymeric layers and metallic layers in nanometer thickness by utilizing self-assembled nanodomains of symmetric diblock copolymers. Nanometer-thick metal layers macroscopically parallel to the film plane were synthesized by electroless Ag deposition on Au nanoparticles selectively in one of the blocks. Every Ag/Au layer was completely separated by nanometer-thick polymer layers in the direction perpendicular to the film plane. Therefore, the conductivity of the film was highly anisotropic, differing by at least 8 orders of magnitude in directions parallel and perpendicular to the film plane, even though the in-plane conductivity (2.8 x10(-6) S/cm) was in the range of semiconductors. If self-assembled nanodomains of diblock copolymers were not employed, a serial layer-by-layer process for each layer would be required to fabricate such an electrically anisotropic thin film.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
A single-layered array of polystyrene-block-poly(4-vinylpyridine), PS-PVP, micelles in hexagonal order, fabricated by spin coating, was employed as a nanostructured template for synthesis of polypyrrole, a conducting polymer, in nanometer-sized domains. Oxidative catalysts of FeCl3 for the polymerization were selectively loaded in spherical PVP nanodamains so that they were hexagonally arranged over the film but confined in the nanometer range. The vapor-phase polymerization of pyrrole was localized in the PVP nanodomains, leading to a morphological transition from spherical to wormlike domains. In addition, the nanodomains containing polypyrrole were converted to open cavities by ethanol, a PVP block-selective solvent.
A hexagonal array of optically active ZnO nanoparticles was synthesized in situ on the solid substrate by utilizing a single-layered film of diblock copolymer micelles as a nanostructured template.
Large-dimension heterogeneous nanoporous membranes were obtained by the formation of CdS doped mesoporous silica within the porous channels of alumina membranes.
A bent-shaped bipyridine ligand containing a dendritic aliphatic side chain has been synthesized as a ligand and complexed with silver ion through a self-assembling process. The resulting complexes were observed to self-assemble into supramolecular structures that differ significantly as a function of the counteranion size in the solid state, as confirmed by 1-D and 2-D X-ray diffraction experiments. The secondary structure of a cationic coordination chain appears to be dependent on the size of the counteranion. As the size of anion increases, the secondary structure of the coordination chain changes, from a helical chain, via a dimeric cycle, to a zigzag chain in the solid state. Interestingly, dilute solutions of the complexes exhibiting a columnar structure in polar solvents undergo spontaneous gelation and the resulting gels display a significant Cotton effect in the chromophore of the aromatic unit. These results represent a significant example that small variation in the anion size can provide a useful strategy to manipulate the secondary structure of linear chain and thereby solid-state supramolecular structure.
Tree-shaped molecules consisting of octa-p-phenylene as a stem segment and oligoether dendrons as a flexible head were synthesized and characterized. The molecular tree based on a small flexible head self-assembles into a lamellar structure, whereas the molecule based on a larger headgroup self-assembles into a discrete heptameric bundle that organizes into a 3-D primitive orthorhombic supercrystals, as confirmed by X-ray scatterings and transmission electron microscopic (TEM) observations. Optical studies revealed that the absorption and emission maxima and absorption edge of the 3-D structure shift to higher energy compared to those of the lamellar structure. The molecules in dilute solution (THF/water = 1:10 v/v) were observed to self-assemble into capsule-like hollow aggregates, as confirmed by dynamic and static light scatterings, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and TEM investigations. These results demonstrate that tree-shaped molecules are capable of packing into organized discrete nanocrystals with parallel arrangement as well as hollow nanocapsules with radial arrangement, depending on the presence of selective solvents for flexible headgroup.
Tetramerization of coil-rod-coil ABC triblock copolymers to a tetrabranched molecule induces an unusual 3-D tetragonally perforated layered liquid crystalline phase as an intermediate structure between 1-D lamellar and 2-D hexagonal columnar phases.
A series of rod-coil molecules (n-x, where n represents the number of repeating units in a PPO coil and x the number of phenyl groups in a rod segment) with variation in the molecular length, but an identical rod to coil volume ratio was synthesized, and their self-assembling behavior was investigated by using DSC and X-ray scatterings. The molecule with a short rod-coil molecule (16-4) shows a 3-D tetragonal structure based on a body-centered symmetry of the discrete bundles in addition to a lamellar structure. This 3-D lattice, on heating, collapses to generate a disordered micellar structure. Remarkably, the molecules based on longer molecular length (21-5 and 24-6) were observed to self-organize into, on heating, lamellar, tetagonally perforated lamellar, 2-D hexagonal columnar and finally disordered micellar structures. Further increase in the molecular length as in the case of 29-7 and 32-8 induces a 3-D hexagonally perforated lamellar structure as an intermediate structure between the lamellar and tetragonally perforated lamellar structures. Consequently, these systems demonstrate the ability to regulate the domain nanostructure, from 2-dimensionally continuous layers, long strips to discrete bundles via periodic perforated layers by small changes in the molecular length, at an identical rod-to-coil volume fraction.
The closed micellar triclinic structure of a fluorescent phasmidic diacetylene (PhDO) has been fixed by topochemical photopolymerization which induced fluorescence quenching to offer a novel method of image photopatterning.
We demonstrated a self-assembly of two different kinds of nanoparticles simultaneously directed on a monolayer film of diblock copolymer micelles via physical and chemical arrangements. We first incorporated gold nanoparticles physically around the micelles of a monolayer film of PS-PVP micelles having a short-range hexagonal order. Iron oxide nanoparticles were then synthesized chemically in the PVP core area of the ordered micelles, resulting in a mosaic nanopattern of magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles surrounded by metallic gold nanoparticles. Thus, we were able to direct two kinds of nanoparticles to self-assemble in the specific positions as an example of controlled fabrication of nanometer-sized building blocks.
Dumbbell-shaped molecules consisting of three biphenyls connected through vinyl linkages as a conjugated rod segment and aliphatic polyether dendritic wedges with different cross-sections (i.e., dibranch (1), tetrabranch (2) and hexabranch (3)) were synthesized and characterized. The molecular dumbbells self-assemble into discrete bundles that organize into three-dimensional superlattices. Molecule 1, based on a dibranched dendritic wedge, organizes into primitive monoclinic-crystalline and body-centered, tetragonal liquid crystalline structures, while molecules 2 and 3, based on tetra- and hexabranched dendritic wedges, respectively, form only body-centered, tetragonal liquid crystalline structures. X-ray diffraction experiments and density measurements showed that the rod-bundle cross-sectional area decreases with increasing cross-section of the dendritic wedges. The influences of supramolecular structure on the bulk-state optical properties were investigated by measuring the UV/Vis absorption and steady state fluorescence spectroscopies. As the cross-section of the dendritic wedge of the molecule increases, the absorption and emission maxima shift to higher energy. This can be attributed to a quantum size effect of the three-dimensionally confined nanostructure.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Graft copolymers containing nonpolar main chains and polar side chains capable of acid-base interaction show surface property variations depending on the sample preparation methods. A series of polypropylene-graft-poly(ethylene glycol)s were synthesized and their surface property variations were studied using surface analysis techniques, such as surface contact angle measurement and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopic analysis. Molding against various substrates, dip-coating, vacuum annealing, and water-contact techniques were employed for the experiment. Different surfaces were obtained depending on the degree of acid-base interaction between the polymer surface and interfacing phase. These surface property variations were concluded to be the result of minimum interfacial free energy formation. Copyright 2001 Academic Press.