Photochemically Controlled Supramolecular Curdlan/Single‐Walled Carbon Nanotube Composite Gel: Preparation of Molecular Distaff by Cyclodextrin Modified Curdlan and Phase Transition Control

Abstract

AbstractWe propose a single‐walled carbon nanotube (SWNT) composite with a molecular recognition property, which is prepared by mixing α‐cyclodextrin‐modified curdlan (CD‐CUR) with SWNTs in water. The visible/near‐infrared (Vis/NIR) spectrum of the CD‐CUR/SWNT composite exhibits characteristic absorption bands corresponding to the band‐gap transitions for van Hove singularities of metallic and semiconductor carbon nanotubes. The structure of the CD‐CUR/SWNT composites was characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). The TEM and AFM images show that the CD‐CUR/SWNT composite exhibits dispersed fibers with a narrow fiber diameter distribution, which suggests that CD‐CUR helically wraps around SWNTs to form one‐dimensional superstructural composites. Because we hypothesized that the CD‐CUR/SWNT composite possesses a molecular recognition property, we attempted to create supramolecular hydrogels containing SWNTs by using a CD‐CUR/SWNT composite and a guest polymer (pAC12Azo) with an azobenzene guest pendant. The CD‐CUR/SWNT composite selectively forms supramolecular hydrogels with pAC12Azo. UV irradiation (λ = 365 nm) of the supramolecular hydrogel decreases the viscosity upon isomerization of the trans‐azo group to give the sol. In contrast, irradiation with visible light at λ = 430 nm (or heating) of the sol state recovers the viscosity to restore the hydrogel within 2 min, indicating that irradiation affects the association and dissociation between the α‐CD unit and the azobenzene unit during phase transition. In summary, we demonstrate the formation of a CD‐CUR/SWNT composite and a photoresponsive sol–gel supramolecular SWNT hydrogel.