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Easily processed materials with the ability to transport excitons over length scales of more than 100 nanometers are highly desirable for a range of light-harvesting and optoelectronic devices. We describe the preparation of organic semiconducting nanofibers comprising a crystalline poly(di-n-hexylfluorene) core and a solvated, segmented corona consisting of polyethylene glycol in the center and polythiophene at the ends. These nanofibers exhibit exciton transfer from the core to the lower-energy polythiophene coronas in the end blocks, which occurs in the direction of the interchain p-p stacking with very long diffusion lengths (>200 nanometers) and a large diffusion coefficient (0.5 square centimeters per second). This is made possible by the uniform exciton energetic landscape created by the well-ordered, crystalline nanofiber core.

Recent advances in the self-assembly of block copolymers have enabled the precise fabrication of hierarchical nanostructures using low-cost solution-phase protocols. However, the preparation of well-defined and complex planar nanostructures in which the size is controlled in two dimensions (2D) has remained a challenge. Using a series of platelet-forming block copolymers, we have demonstrated through quantitative experiments that the living crystallization-driven self-assembly (CDSA) approach can be extended to growth in 2D. We used 2D CDSA to prepare uniform lenticular platelet micelles of controlled size and to construct precisely concentric lenticular micelles composed of spatially distinct functional regions, as well as complex structures analogous to nanoscale single- and double-headed arrows and spears. These methods represent a route to hierarchical nanostructures that can be tailored in 2D, with potential applications as diverse as liquid crystals, diagnostic technology and composite reinforcement.

General rightsThis document is made available in accordance with publisher policies. Please cite only the published version using the reference above.

The preparation of well-defined nanoparticles based on soft matter, using solution-processing techniques on a commercially viable scale, is a major challenge of widespread importance. Self-assembly of block copolymers in solvents that selectively solvate one of the segments provides a promising route to core-corona nanoparticles (micelles) with a wide range of potential uses. Nevertheless, significant limitations to this approach also exist. For example, the solution processing of block copolymers generally follows a separate synthesis step and is normally performed at high dilution. Moreover, non-spherical micelles-which are promising for many applications-are generally difficult to access, samples are polydisperse and precise dimensional control is not possible. Here we demonstrate the formation of platelet and cylindrical micelles at concentrations up to 25% solids via a one-pot approach-starting from monomers-that combines polymerization-induced and crystallization-driven self-assembly. We also show that performing the procedure in the presence of small seed micelles allows the scalable formation of low dispersity samples of cylindrical micelles of controlled length up to three micrometres.

The human eye can see over one million colors and color plays a critical role in everyday life. We know red lights mean stop and green lights mean go, while in battle a white flag means surrender. These are very simple ways to use colors to codify actions. However, as technology has advanced, the ways we use and produce color have evolved. For example, liquid crystal displays in smart phones, computers and TV screens are central to the communication and entertainment industries. Nature also heavily relies on color for a range of functions, including camouflage, biological ornaments, and warning Over millions of years, animals and plants have evolved complex molecules and structures that endow them with vibrant colors. Among the sources of natural coloration, structural color is prominent in insects, bird feathers, snake skin, plants, and other organisms, where the color arises from the interaction of light with nanoscale features rather than absorption from a pigment. Cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) are a biorenewable resource that spontaneously organize into chiral nematic liquid crystals having a hierarchical structure that resembles the Bouligand structure of arthropod shells. The periodic, chiral nematic organization of CNC films leads them to diffract light, making them appear iridescent. Over the past two decades, there have been many advances to develop the photonic properties of CNCs for applications ranging from cosmetics to sensors. Here, the origin of color in CNCs, the control of photonic properties of CNC films, the development of new composite materials of CNCs that can yield flexible photonic structures, and the future challenges in this field are discussed. In particular, recent efforts to make flexible photonic materials using CNCs are highlighted.

The creation of synthetic 2D materials represents an attractive challenge that is ultimately driven by their prospective uses in, for example, electronics, biomedicine, catalysis, sensing, and as membranes for separation and filtration. This Review illustrates some recent advances in this diverse field with a focus on covalent and non-covalent 2D polymers and frameworks, and self-assembled 2D materials derived from nanoparticles, homopolymers, and block copolymers.

Nature uses orthogonal interactions over different length scales to construct structures with hierarchical levels of order and provides an important source of inspiration for the creation of synthetic functional materials. Here, we report the programmed assembly of monodisperse cylindrical block comicelle building blocks with crystalline cores to create supermicelles using spatially confined hydrogen-bonding interactions. We also demonstrate that it is possible to further program the self-assembly of these synthetic building blocks into structures of increased complexity by combining hydrogen-bonding interactions with segment solvophobicity. The overall approach offers an efficient, non-covalent synthesis method for the solution-phase fabrication of a range of complex and potentially functional supermicelle architectures in which the crystallization, hydrogen-bonding and solvophobic interactions are combined in an orthogonal manner.