PNNL

Abstract

Herein we showthat by appending bulky b-cyclodextrin (CD) groups onto sheet-forming peptoids,weobtain cylindrical micelles that further assembly into membranes and intertwined ribbons on substrates in aqueous solution, depending on the choice of solution and substrate conditions.Insitu atomic force microscopy(AFM) shows that micelle assembly occurs in two steps,starting with “precursor” particles that transform into worm-like micelles,whichextend and coalesce to form the higher order structures with arate and adegree of cooperativity dependent on pH and Ca2+ concentration. After co-assembly with hydrophobic 4-(2-hydroxyethylamino)-7nitro-2,1,3-benzoxadiazole (NBD) donors that occupyt he hydrophobic core,followed by exposure to hydrophilic Rhodamine Basacceptors that insert into cyclodextrin, the micelles exhibit highly efficient Fçrster resonance energy transfer efficiency in aqueous solution, thereby mimicking natural light harvesting systems.