Supramolecular Self-Assembly in Materials

Supramolecular self-assembly in biomaterials studies how small molecules—particularly peptide amphiphiles and related compounds—spontaneously organize into ordered structures such as nanofibers, hydrogels, and nanotubes through non-covalent interactions like hydrogen bonding, hydrophobic forces, and electrostatic attraction. These structures are of practical interest because their mechanical properties, degradation rates, and surface chemistry can be tuned at the molecular level, making them candidates for scaffolds in tissue engineering, vehicles for controlled drug release, and matrices that mimic the extracellular environment of living tissue. A central challenge is predicting and controlling the hierarchy of assembly—how molecular geometry and solution conditions translate into specific mesoscale architectures—since small changes in sequence or concentration can dramatically alter the resulting nanostructure. Active work is also focused on designing assemblies that respond dynamically to biological signals, with the goal of creating materials that adapt their structure and function in concert with surrounding cells.

Works

45,524

Total citations

1,068,606

Keywords

Self-AssemblySupramolecularNanofibersPeptide AmphiphilesHydrogelsNanostructures