CASACAMAhyps · Cucurbit[8]uril Assisted Supramolecular Architectures of Carbon Materials for Hydrogels, Photocatalysis and Sensing
Horizon 2020 — Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions
- Duration
- 2018-05-15 → 2020-06-07
- EU contribution
- €195,455
- Participants
- 1
- Scheme
- MSCA-IF-EF-ST
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Results in brief
Cucurbit[8]uril Assisted Supramolecular Architectures of Carbon Materials for Hydrogels, Photocatalysis and Sensing
The project has addressed a long-standing problem of how to obtain low-cost production uniformly distributed carbon materials (Graphene and carbon dots etc.) into composite systems in aqueous conditions. For instance, graphene-polymer nanocomposites can be obtained on a mass scale, but the homogeneity of the graphene sheets (or carbon nanofibers) in the matrix is extremely difficult to control, often causing uncontrollable aggregates. We will address these issues to obtain hybrid supramolecular hydrogels and fibers for bioengineering and sensing applications. Cucurbit[8]uril macrocycles will be used as host molecules for host-guest complexations. Carbon materials have been incorporated into polymers to produce various composite materials for applications including optoelectronics, medical accessories, aerospace and sports equipment, etc. Owing to its high electrical and mechanical properties, graphene is a perfect 2-D material that can form a self-assembled network on its own or interact with other polymers via electrostatic and/or chemical bonds. C-dots are particularly attractive for bioimaging and diagnostics applications. Their fluorescence allows for non-invasive monitoring of drug release kinetics as well as local and systematic drug distribution. Thus, the hydrogels and fibers obtained herein can be useful for various applications including stretchable/wearable electronic devices, microactuators, tissue engineering, implanted biocompatible sensors, etc. Objectives: - Synthesis of cucurbit[8]uril macrocycle as well as its 1st and 2nd guest-molecules. - Synthesis of carbon quantum dots (C-dots). - Surface functionalization of carbon materials, i.e. graphene and C-dots. - Synthesis of polymers and polymers bearing 2nd-guest molecules. CB[8] is a special macrocycle, which can simultaneously accommodate two guest moieties (1st & 2nd ). - Development of dynamic hybrid-supramolecular hydrogels. - Development of hybrid fluorescent hydrogels and fibers. - Synthesis of supraparticles using the combination of C-dots and nanocrystals. We also synthesized indium phosphide/zinc selenide (InP/ZnS) nanocrystals (NCs) using expertise developed in the host laboratory. - New knowledge was acquired to synthesize monodisperse colloidal particles with smooth and rough surfaces. We will be exploring these colloids for similar applications.
Data: CORDIS, © European Union
Project objective
Carbon Materials (CMs: graphene etc.) are known for their light-weight and, excellent mechanical, electrical and thermal properties. However, one of the main challenges for state-of-the-art CM-based composites is the mass manufacture and low-cost production of uniformly distributed composite materials under aqueous conditions to harness these properties for various applications. Moreover, the surface functionalisation of CMs is still a great challenge, attributed to their inert surface and lack of solubility in many solvents including water.Supramolecular host-guest complexation could be a useful technique to produce uniformly distributed CMs-based supramolecular architectures (SAs). Cucurbit[8]uril (CB[8]) is a macrocyclic host molecule with 8 glycoluril units yielding a barrel-like shape macrocycle. It can accommodate 2 guest molecules simultaneously, typically 1 electron-poor (1st guest) and 1 electron-rich (2nd guest), forming a heteroternary complex. CB[8] creates an aqueous dynamic supramolecular system that can help improve the water solubility of guest molecules.Thus, the overall aim of this proposal is to develop SAs based upon host-guest heteroternary complexation between CB[8], CMs and matrices. Two entirely different matrix polymers (organic) and metal NPs (mNPs: inorganic) will be considered. Three CMs will be investigated. i) 2D Graphene(GR), ii) 1D Carbon nanofibers (CNFs) and iii) 0D Carbon dots (C-Dots). Following goals of the project will be achieved in the respective work packages: 1) Surface functionalisation of guest molecules onto CMs (fCMs). 2) To obtain Dynamic Hybrid Supramolecular Hydrogels after the host-guest complexation between fCMs, CB[8] and polymers. 3) Supramolecular heteroternary complexes between fCMs, CB[8] and mNPs to form fCMs-mNPs Supraparticles, and their 4) Applications in photocatalysis and Sensing.Overall, the fundamental investigation of how fCMs will bind to CB[8] and later to polymers or mNPs will be investigated.
Original text from CORDIS.
Participants
- THE CHANCELLOR MASTERS AND SCHOLARS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE · CAMBRIDGECoordinatorUnited Kingdom
Links
Data: CORDIS, © European Union