Kyoto University · Materials Science
Professor Kazunori Sugiyasu's research lab specializes in the design and fabrication of advanced supramolecular and functional materials for energy conversion and optoelectronic applications. The lab focuses on creating hierarchical nanostructures—such as organogels, self-assembled fibrils, and helical silica nanostructures—using dynamic noncovalent interactions to achieve precise control over energy and charge transport. Key research directions include light-harvesting systems with energy gradient architectures, self-sorting supramolecular assemblies for photovoltaic devices, and covalently modified conjugated polymers with enhanced charge mobility. The lab also explores bioinspired strategies to achieve complex, cooperative functionality in synthetic systems.
Figures are computed from collected data and may differ slightly.
A rich harvest: A visible-light-harvesting system has been created utilizing an organogel medium (see picture; the inset shows different gel mixtures). Mixing four different perylene derivatives in the gel phase sets up an energy gradient in the gel fibrils. The well-defined nanofibers harvest a wide range of light energy in the visible region (i.e., sunlight) to the energy sink in a stepwise manner. Supporting information for this article is available on the WWW under http://www.wiley-vch.de/co
We report on a self-sorting supramolecular fiber formation of photo- and electro-active molecules (p-type oligothiophene and n-type perylene derivatives) toward the development of a photoelectronic conversion system operated by visible light irradiation.
Biomolecular systems serve as an inspiration for the creation of multicomponent synthetic supramolecular systems that can be utilized to develop functional materials with complexity. However, supramolecular systems rapidly reach an equilibrium state through dynamic and reversible noncovalent bonds, resulting in a disorganized mixture of components rather than a system in which individual components function cooperatively and/or independently. Thus, efficient synthetic strategies and characteriza
Herein, we report on a self-threading polythiophene whose conjugated molecular wire is sheathed within its own cyclic side chains. The defect-free insulating layer prevents electronic cross-communication between the adjacent polythiophene backbone even in the solid film. Notably, the covalently linked cyclic side chains extend the effective conjugation length of the interior polythiophene backbone, which results in an excellent intrawire hole mobility of 0.9 cm(2) V(-1) s(-1).
Silica fibrils with a novel double stranded helical structure are prepared by sol-gel transcription of twisted bilayer ribbons formed by cationic gemini surfactants.
Reiche Ernte: Mithilfe eines Organogel-Mediums wurde ein lichtsammelndes System für sichtbares Licht hergestellt (siehe Bild; Einschub: verschiedene Gelmischungen). Durch Mischen von vier unterschiedlichen Perylen-Derivaten in der Gelphase wird ein Energiegradient in den Gelfibrillen erzeugt. Die Nanofasern sammeln die Energie von sichtbarem Licht unterschiedlicher Wellenlänge schrittweise in einer Energiesenke. Supporting information for this article is available on the WWW under http://www.wil
A bis(squaraine) dye equipped with alkyl and oligoethyleneglycol chains was synthesized by connecting two dicyanomethylene substituted squaraine dyes with a phenylene spacer unit. The aggregation behavior of this bis(squaraine) was investigated in non-polar toluene/tetrachloroethane (98:2) solvent mixture, which revealed competing cooperative self-assembly pathways into two supramolecular polymorphs with entirely different packing structures and UV/Vis/NIR absorption properties. The self-assembl
Molecular wires: Fluorescent conjugated polymers that are sheathed within their own cyclic side chains have been synthesized (see picture). Owing to the unique three-dimensional architecture, the polymers are light-emissive, even in the film state, miscible, allowing the combination of various fluorescence colors, and thermoformable, like conventional plastics. As a service to our authors and readers, this journal provides supporting information supplied by the authors. Such materials are peer r
A 1,10-phenanthroline-appended cholesterol-based gelator (1) and its nongelling reference compound (2) were synthesized. Among 19 solvents tested herein, gelator 1 could gelate 11 solvents including alcohols, dipolar aprotic solvents, organic acids and a base (triethylamine), indicating that 1 acts as a versatile gelator. The TEM observation gave a visual image showing that fibrillar aggregates are entangled in the three-dimensional network structure. In the fluorescence measurements, most gels
Conjugated polymers (CPs) are often referred to as molecular wires because of their quasi one-dimensional electronic wavefunctions delocalized along the polymer chains. However, in the solid state, CPs tend to self-assemble through π-stacking, which greatly attenuates the one-dimensional nature. By molecular design, CPs can be molecularly insulated just like electric power cords, resulting in so-called "insulated" molecular wires (IMWs). In this Focus Review, we will discuss their unique photoph
Abstract Conducting organic polymers show great promise as sensory materials. The transport of charge in these systems imparts the ability to attain high sensitivity to analytes of interest. This contribution reviews a number of different mechanisms by which analytes can interact with organic conducting polymers to create changes in their resistivity. New sensor systems based upon triaryl-methyl carbocations are also reported for the first time. The design of specific molecular recognition can i
All-polythiophene diblock copolymers, comprising one unsheathed block and one fenced block, were synthesized through catalyst-transfer polycondensation. The unsheathed block self-assembles through π-π stacking, thereby inducing microphase separation. Consequently, we have succeeded in creating a microphase separation comprising an ensemble of stacked and isolated polythiophenes. This achievement could be extended to various unexplored applications as a result of the integration of the contrastin
1,10-Phenanthroline-appended cholesterol-based gelators (1 and 2) and their non-gelling reference compounds (1′ and 2′) were synthesized. It was shown that the gelation abilities of 1 and 2 are quite different, in spite of their structural similarity. Compound 1 can form gels with various kinds of organic solvents, whereas 2 is capable of gelation only in acidic solvents. This difference in gelation abilities seems to be due to the difference in the stacking mode of the phenanthroline moieties,
Recent developments in kinetically controlled supramolecular polymerization permit control of the size (i.e., length and area) of self-assembled nanostructures. However, control of molecular self-assembly at a level comparable with organic synthetic chemistry and the achievement of structural complexity at a hierarchy larger than the molecular level remain challenging. This study focuses on controlling the aspect ratio of supramolecular nanosheets. A systematic understanding of the relationship
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