Super Structures Lab

SUPRAMOLECULAR SYSTEMS
in water or other green solvents

You can click on the images below to get a glimpse of the supramolecular systems we've published. There's ongoing research in our labs encompassing out-of-equilibrium chemistry and multi-component supramolecular chemistry... you'll soon read about it!
Nature's choice for homochirality has inspired our research as we question it with heterochirality. Amino acid chirality was only recently identified as a key tool to drive peptide self-assembly into nanostructures and hydrogels.

In the video on the left you can see how only the tripeptide that contains both D and L amino acids (i.e., DLFF) instantly forms a hydrogel at neutral pH, while its  L-analogue (i.e., LFF)  does not.

For more info on this work click on the button links:
Chirality matters!
An innovative tool to drive self-assembly
Water confinement within a 2-nm-wide super-ordered channel, composed of tripeptides of syndiotactic stereochemistry and isotactic super-order of side chains, is essential for self-organization into an amphipathic superstructure that yields stable hydrogels. We're now stydying ways to stabilize the channels to insert them in membranes for therapeutic use.

Tripeptide Channel​

Orthogonal supramolecular system consists of multi-component, multi-layered gels for chemical separation. A heterochiral tripeptide self-assembles into a gel and embeds either of two metal-organic cages, each one with selective guest encapsulation properties. Small-molecule guests diffuse through and get separated.

Orthogonal peptide-cages gel

Heterochirality substituted inter- with intra-molecular interactions that allowed to control hierarchical assembly of simple dipeptides in water. Halogenation further tuned size of nanofibrils arising from nanotube bundling. In the case of non-halogenated Phe-Phe, toxicity was alleviated with heterochirality as cells proliferated in the hydrogel in high numbers.

Simple dipeptides were cyclized in water through a microwave-based green approach to give the resulting diketopiperazines (DKP) that self-assemble into a fibrillar gel network, yielding a nanostructured soft material. DKPs are appealing for the food & beverage industry.

Supramolecular DKP assemblies

Halogenated Nanotubes

Hydrogels were obtained from a self-assembling tripeptide and nanocarbons for improved mechanical properties. In the case of CNTs, the hybrid material acquired self-healing ability - data evidenced successful CNT coating by the peptide as well as anisotropic morphology playing a role, with CNTs and fibrils (of similar diameter) forming a highly interconnected network. These materials could find applications in smart drug delivery and conductive-tissue regeneration.

Hybrid nanocarbon-peptide supramolecular hydrogels

Assembly of two heterochiral simple peptides, one with a structural role and the other for function, led to a homogeneous population of helical fibers yielding a supramolecular and bioadhesive gel for extracellular matrix mimicry. The LDV motif activated integrins on fibroblasts, which in response adhered to the hydrogel biomaterial.  

2-component assembly into helical & bioadhesive fibers

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