Self-Assembly and Electrical Conductivity of a New [1]benzothieno[3,2-b][1]-benzothiophene (BTBT)-Peptide Hydrogel
The conjugation of small-molecule semiconductors with self-assembling peptides is a powerful tool for the fabrication of supramolecular soft materials for organic electronics and bioelectronics. Herein, we introduced the benchmark organic semiconductor [1]benzothieno[3,2-b][1]-benzothiophene (BTBT)...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2023-03-01
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| Series: | Molecules |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/28/7/2917 |
| Summary: | The conjugation of small-molecule semiconductors with self-assembling peptides is a powerful tool for the fabrication of supramolecular soft materials for organic electronics and bioelectronics. Herein, we introduced the benchmark organic semiconductor [1]benzothieno[3,2-b][1]-benzothiophene (BTBT) within the structure of a self-assembling amphipathic peptide. The molecular structure of the conjugate was rationally designed to favour π-π stacking between BTBT cores and π-delocalization within the self-assembled architectures. Hydrogels with fibrillar structure were obtained upon self-assembly. Spectroscopic studies confirmed that both hydrogen bonding between peptide segments and π-π stacking between BTBT chromophores are responsible for the formation of the 3D fibrillar network observed by transmission electron microscopy. The hydrogel was successfully deposited on gold interdigitated electrodes and a conductivity up to 1.6 (±0.1) × 10<sup>−5</sup> S cm<sup>−1</sup> was measured. |
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| ISSN: | 1420-3049 |