Supramolecular Nanotube Reactors: Supramolecular Nanotube Reactors for Production of Imine Polymers with Controlled Conformation, Size, and Chirality (Small 19/2019)

A series of supramolecular nanotubes with inner diameters of 1, 4, 9, 12, 16, and 29 nm, which consist of monolayer membranes of amino-acid lipids, act as reactors for the production of polymers with controlled conformation, size, and chirality. In article number 1900682, Naohiro Kameta and Wuxiao Ding show that depending on the inner diameters, monomers self-assemble into twisted nanofibers, helical nanocoils, nanotapes, or nanoparticles, in the hydrophobic channels of the nanotubes, whereas in bulk water the monomers form microsheets.