Citation: Wen-Bin Zhang, Stephen Z.D. Cheng. Toward Rational and Modular Molecular Design in Soft Matter Engineering[J]. Chinese Journal of Polymer Science, ;2015, 33(6): 797-814. doi: 10.1007/s10118-015-1653-8 shu

Toward Rational and Modular Molecular Design in Soft Matter Engineering

Wen-Bin Zhang ¹ ,
Stephen Z.D. Cheng ²

1.
Key Laboratory of Polymer Chemistry &
2.
Department of Polymer Science, College of Polymer Science and Polymer Engineering, The University of Akron, Akron, OH 44325-3909, U.S.A.

Received Date: 18 March 2015

Fund Project: This work was financially supported by the 863 Program (No. 2015AA020941), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Nos. 21474003 and 91427304), National Science Foundation of USA (Nos. DMR-0906898 and DMR-1408872), and the Joint-Hope Education Foundation. W.B.Z. acknowledges support from the National1000 Plan (Youth)of China.

This essay discusses some preliminary thoughts on the development of a rational and modular approach for molecular design in soft matter engineering and proposes ideas of structural and functional synthons for advanced functional materials. It echoes the Materials Genome Initiative by practicing a tentative retro-functional analysis (RFA) scheme. The importance of hierarchical structures in transferring and amplifying molecular functions into macroscopic properties is recognized and emphasized. According to the role of molecular segments in final materials, there are two types of building blocks: structural synthon and functional synthon. Guided by a specific structure for a desired function, these synthons can be modularly combined in various ways to construct molecular scaffolds. Detailed molecular structures are then deduced, designed and synthesized precisely and modularly. While the assembled structure and property may deviate from the original design, the study may allow further refinement of the molecular design toward the target function. The strategy has been used in the development of soft fullerene materials and other giant molecules. There are a few aspects that are not yet well addressed: (1) function and structure are not fully decoupled and (2) the assembled hierarchical structures are sensitive to secondary interactions and molecular geometries across different length scales. Nevertheless, the RFA approach provides a starting point and an alternative thinking pathway by provoking creativity with considerations from both chemistry and physics. This is particularly useful for engineering soft matters with supramolecular lattice formation, as in giant molecules, where the synthons are relatively independent of each other.
- Molecular design,
- Materials genome,
- Molecular nanoparticles,
- Soft matter,
- Synthon
1. [1]
2. [2]
3. [3]
4. [4]
5. [5]
6. [6]
7. [7]
8. [8]
9. [9]
10. [10]
11. [11]
12. [12]
13. [13]
14. [14]
15. [15]
16. [16]
17. [17]
18. [18]
19. [19]
20. [20]
21. [21]
22. [22]
23. [23]
24. [24]
25. [25]
26. [26]
27. [27]
28. [28]
29. [29]
30. [30]
31. [31]
32. [32]
33. [33]
34. [34]
35. [35]
36. [36]
37. [37]
38. [38]
39. [39]
40. [40]
41. [41]
42. [42]
43. [43]
44. [44]
45. [45]
46. [46]
47. [47]
48. [48]
49. [49]
50. [50]
51. [51]
52. [52]
53. [53]
54. [54]
55. [55]
56. [56]
57. [57]
58. [58]
59. [59]
60. [60]
61. [61]
62. [62]
63. [63]
64. [64]
65. [65]
66. [66]
67. [67]
68. [68]
69. [69]
70. [70]
71. [71]
72. [72]
73. [73]
74. [74]
75. [75]
76. [76]
77. [77]
78. [78]
79. [79]
80. [80]
81. [81]
82. [82]
83. [83]
84. [84]
85. [85]
86. [86]
87. [87]
88. [88]
89. [89]
90. [90]
91. [91]
92. [92]
93. [93]
94. [94]
95. [95]
96. [96]
97. [97]
98. [98]
1. [1]
  Yuting Wu , Haifeng Lv , Xiaojun Wu . Design of two-dimensional porous covalent organic framework semiconductors for visible-light-driven overall water splitting: A theoretical perspective. Chinese Journal of Structural Chemistry, 2024, 43(11): 100375-100375. doi: 10.1016/j.cjsc.2024.100375
2. [2]
  Lei Wang , Jun-Jie Wu , Chang-Cun Yan , Wan-Ying Yang , Zong-Lu Che , Xin-Yu Xia , Xue-Dong Wang , Liang-Sheng Liao . Near-infrared organic lasers with ultra-broad emission bands by simultaneously harnessing four-level and six-level systems. Chinese Chemical Letters, 2024, 35(8): 109365-. doi: 10.1016/j.cclet.2023.109365
3. [3]
  Xiao-Fang Lv , Xiao-Yun Ran , Yu Zhao , Rui-Rui Zhang , Li-Na Zhang , Jing Shi , Ji-Xuan Xu , Qing-Quan Kong , Xiao-Qi Yu , Kun Li . Combing NIR-Ⅱ molecular dye with magnetic nanoparticles for enhanced photothermal theranostics with a 95.6% photothermal conversion efficiency. Chinese Chemical Letters, 2025, 36(4): 110027-. doi: 10.1016/j.cclet.2024.110027
4. [4]
  Qingyang Cui , Feng Yu , Zirun Wang , Bangkun Jin , Wanqun Hu , Wan Li . From Jelly to Soft Matter: Preparation and Properties-Exploring of Different Kinds of Hydrogels. University Chemistry, 2024, 39(9): 338-348. doi: 10.3866/PKU.DXHX202309046
5. [5]
  Fang-Yuan Chen , Wen-Chao Geng , Kang Cai , Dong-Sheng Guo . Molecular recognition of cyclophanes in water. Chinese Chemical Letters, 2024, 35(5): 109161-. doi: 10.1016/j.cclet.2023.109161
6. [6]
  Ruike Hu , Kangmin Wang , Junxiang Liu , Jingxian Zhang , Guoliang Yang , Liqiu Wan , Bijin Li . Extended π-conjugated systems by external ligand-assisted C−H olefination of heterocycles: Facile access to single-molecular white-light-emitting and NIR fluorescence materials. Chinese Chemical Letters, 2025, 36(4): 110113-. doi: 10.1016/j.cclet.2024.110113
7. [7]
  Caihong Mao , Yanfeng He , Xiaohan Wang , Yan Cai , Xiaobo Hu . Synthesis and molecular recognition characteristics of a tetrapodal benzene cage. Chinese Chemical Letters, 2024, 35(8): 109362-. doi: 10.1016/j.cclet.2023.109362
8. [8]
  Cheng-Da Zhao , Huan Yao , Shi-Yao Li , Fangfang Du , Li-Li Wang , Liu-Pan Yang . Amide naphthotubes: Biomimetic macrocycles for selective molecular recognition. Chinese Chemical Letters, 2024, 35(4): 108879-. doi: 10.1016/j.cclet.2023.108879
9. [9]
  Yanwei Duan , Qing Yang . Molecular targets and their application examples for interrupting chitin biosynthesis. Chinese Chemical Letters, 2025, 36(4): 109905-. doi: 10.1016/j.cclet.2024.109905
10. [10]
  Bharathi Natarajan , Palanisamy Kannan , Longhua Guo . Metallic nanoparticles for visual sensing: Design, mechanism, and application. Chinese Journal of Structural Chemistry, 2024, 43(9): 100349-100349. doi: 10.1016/j.cjsc.2024.100349
11. [11]
  Zhimin Sun , Xin-Hui Guo , Yue Zhao , Qing-Yu Meng , Li-Juan Xing , He-Lue Sun . Dynamically switchable porphyrin-based molecular tweezer for on−off fullerene recognition. Chinese Chemical Letters, 2024, 35(6): 109162-. doi: 10.1016/j.cclet.2023.109162
12. [12]
  Li Lin , Song-Lin Tian , Zhen-Yu Hu , Yu Zhang , Li-Min Chang , Jia-Jun Wang , Wan-Qiang Liu , Qing-Shuang Wang , Fang Wang . Molecular crowding electrolytes for stabilizing Zn metal anode in rechargeable aqueous batteries. Chinese Chemical Letters, 2024, 35(7): 109802-. doi: 10.1016/j.cclet.2024.109802
13. [13]
  Minghao Hu , Tianci Xie , Yuqiang Hu , Longjie Li , Ting Wang , Tongbo Wu . Allosteric DNAzyme-based encoder for molecular information transfer. Chinese Chemical Letters, 2024, 35(7): 109232-. doi: 10.1016/j.cclet.2023.109232
14. [14]
  Chuan-Zhi Ni , Ruo-Ming Li , Fang-Qi Zhang , Qu-Ao-Wei Li , Yuan-Yuan Zhu , Jie Zeng , Shuang-Xi Gu . A chiral fluorescent probe for molecular recognition of basic amino acids in solutions and cells. Chinese Chemical Letters, 2024, 35(10): 109862-. doi: 10.1016/j.cclet.2024.109862
15. [15]
  Wei-Jia Wang , Kaihong Chen . Molecular-based porous polymers with precise sites for photoreduction of carbon dioxide. Chinese Chemical Letters, 2025, 36(1): 109998-. doi: 10.1016/j.cclet.2024.109998
16. [16]
  Dongpu Wu , Zheng Yang , Yuchen Xia , Lulu Wu , Yingxia Zhou , Caoyuan Niu , Puhui Xie , Xin Zheng , Zhanqi Cao . Surface controllable wettability using amphiphilic rotaxane molecular shuttles. Chinese Chemical Letters, 2025, 36(2): 110353-. doi: 10.1016/j.cclet.2024.110353
17. [17]
  Bingwei Wang , Yihong Ding , Xiao Tian . Benchmarking model chemistry composite calculations for vertical ionization potential of molecular systems. Chinese Chemical Letters, 2025, 36(2): 109721-. doi: 10.1016/j.cclet.2024.109721
18. [18]
  Kai Ye , Zhicheng Ye , Chuantao Wang , Zhilai Luo , Cheng Lian , Chunyan Bao . Artificial signal transduction triggered by molecular photoisomerization in lipid membranes. Chinese Chemical Letters, 2025, 36(4): 110033-. doi: 10.1016/j.cclet.2024.110033
19. [19]
  Man Wu , Chuandong Jia . A light-powered molecular pump achieving transmembrane concentration gradient. Chinese Journal of Structural Chemistry, 2025, 44(4): 100452-100452. doi: 10.1016/j.cjsc.2024.100452
20. [20]
  Pingfan Zhang , Shihuan Hong , Ning Song , Zhonghui Han , Fei Ge , Gang Dai , Hongjun Dong , Chunmei Li . Alloy as advanced catalysts for electrocatalysis: From materials design to applications. Chinese Chemical Letters, 2024, 35(6): 109073-. doi: 10.1016/j.cclet.2023.109073

Get Citation

PDF

XML

Metrics

PDF Downloads(0)
Abstract views(687)
HTML views(2)

通讯作者: 陈斌, bchen63@163.com

1.
沈阳化工大学材料科学与工程学院沈阳 110142