This paper reports:
- Redox-enabled pathway complexity in amino acid-functionalized perylene diimides (PDIs) and its consequence for the macroscopic hydrogel network.
- Chemical reduction and subsequent oxidation enable a kinetically trapped state of the micellar network, which transforms into different network morphologies in response to heat and time.
- Pathway complexity in supramolecular systems can alter bulk material properties
Impact:
- Our finding suggests the potential for future development of dynamic materials that achieve multiple macroscopic functions with a single building block.
A. Bartnik, L. Zeinalvand, D. Kodira, P. R. Prasad, J. Patterson, S. Sim, Chemistry A European Journal, e202500901 (2025)