Noncovalent Intermolecular Interactions Research Articles

A novel one-dimensional thiocyanate-bridged cobalt(III) complex: synthesis, crystal structure characterization and Hirshfeld surface analysis.

A new one-dimensional thiocyanate-bridged cobalt(III) Schiff base complex, namely, catena-poly[[[4-bromo-2-((Z)-{[2-(thiophen-2-yl)ethyl]imino}methyl)phenolato-κ2N,O]cobalt(III)]-μ-thiocyanato-κ2N:S], [Co(SCN)(C13H11BrNOS)2]n or [Co(μ1,3-SCN)L2]n (1), where HL is 4-bromo-2-((Z)-{[2-(thiophene-2-yl)ethyl]imino}methyl)phenol, a bidentate Schiff base prepared from the condensation reaction of 5-bromosalicylaldehyde and 2-(thiophen-2-yl)ethylamine, has been synthesized by stirring Co(ClO4)2·6H2O, the Schiff base HL and ammonium thiocyanate (in a 1:2:1 molar ratio) in ethanol medium. The complex was characterized by FT-IR, electronic spectra and single-crystal X-ray diffraction (SC-XRD) studies. The SC-XRD data suggest that the compound crystallizes in the orthorhombic space group Pca21. The CoIII ion in 1 adopts a distorted octahedral geometry, the metal sites being six-coordinated by one thiocyanate N atom and one thiocyanate S atom in apical positions, and by two imine N atoms and two phenolate O atoms from two anionic L- ligands which form the basal plane. The thiocyanate ligand acts as a μ-1,3 bridge, joining neighbouring CoIII atoms and forming a uniform zigzag one-dimensional polymeric chain. The crystallographic data were also used in the Hirshfeld surface (HS) analysis, which aimed to investigate the nature and quantitative significance of any noncovalent intermolecular interactions inside the crystal lattice. The crystal void parameters have also been computed and show the molecules to be tightly packed.

Synthesis of Technetium Carboxylates: Wheel-Like Octanuclear Clusters (Tc8(μ-O)8(RCOO)16, Where R = CF3, C6H5)─Potential Nanobuilding Units for Tc-MOFs.

Herein, we studied the behavior of TcO4- in trifluoroacetic anhydride (TFAA) under visible light irradiation in situ by UV-vis spectroscopy. One carboxylate of Tc(VII) C2F3O5Tc (1) and two wheel-like carboxylate clusters of Tc(IV) Tc8(μ-O)8(CF3COO)16 (2, 3) and Tc8(μ-O)8(C6H5COO)16 (4) were synthesized and analyzed using pXRD, TGA, UV-vis spectroscopy, and SCXRD techniques. According to SCXRD, it was found that Tc(IV) trifluoroacetate exists in two crystalline modifications. By UV-vis spectroscopy and DFT calculations, it was shown that the primary compound in the reaction system is trifluoroacetate Tc(VII). A technetium trifluoroacetate(VII) and Tc intermediates of unidentified nature both show photosensitivity. The influence of intermolecular noncovalent interactions on the volatility of trifluoroacetate and benzoate Tc(IV) is shown. The main regularities of chemical transformations of technetium in nonaqueous solutions of carboxylates have been revealed. The obtained data on the kinetics of the process suggest that technetium in trifluoroacetic anhydride can simultaneously exist in the form of Tc(VII), Tc(VI), Tc(V), and Tc(IV). Under laser ionization or prolonged heating, the formation of the Tc(II,III)-cluster is observed.

Self-assembly of a ruthenium-based cGAS-STING photoactivator for carrier-free cancer immunotherapy

The cGAS (cyclic GMP-AMP synthase)-STING (stimulator of interferon genes) pathway promotes antitumor immune responses by sensing cytosolic DNA fragments leaked from nucleus and mitochondria. Herein, we designed a highly charged ruthenium photosensitizer (Ru1) with a β-carboline alkaloid derivative as the ligand for photo-activating of the cGAS-STING pathway. Due to the formation of multiple non-covalent intermolecular interactions, Ru1 can self-assemble into carrier-free nanoparticles (NPs). By incorporating the triphenylphosphine substituents, Ru1 can target and photo-damage mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) to cause the cytoplasmic DNA leakage to activate the cGAS-STING pathway. Finally, Ru1 NPs show potent antitumor effects and elicit intense immune responses in vivo. In conclusion, we report the first self-assembling mtDNA-targeted photosensitizer, which can effectively activate the cGAS-STING pathway, thus providing innovations for the design of new photo-immunotherapeutic agents.

The Role of Hydrogen Bonding in the Raman Spectral Signals of Caffeine in Aqueous Solution.

The identification and quantification of caffeine is a common need in the food and pharmaceutical industries and lately also in the field of environmental science. For that purpose, Raman spectroscopy has been used as an analytical technique, but the interpretation of the spectra requires reliable and accurate computational protocols, especially as regards the Resonance Raman (RR) variant. Herein, caffeine solutions are sampled using Molecular Dynamics simulations. Upon quantification of the strength of the non-covalent intermolecular interactions such as hydrogen bonding between caffeine and water, UV-Vis, Raman, and RR spectra are computed. The results provide general insights into the hydrogen bonding role in mediating the Raman spectral signals of caffeine in aqueous solution. Also, by analyzing the dependence of RR enhancement on the absorption spectrum of caffeine, it is proposed that the sensitivity of the RR technique could be exploited at excitation wavelengths moderately far from 266 nm, yet achieving very low detection limits in the quantification caffeine content.

Terminal group engineering of oligothiophene donors for efficient organic solar cells

All-small-molecule organic solar cells exhibit high reproducibility than polymer-based cells. Benzodithiophene and oligothiophene based derivatives are the most widely studied small molecule donors. The lower synthetic complexity and superior stability make oligothiophene based derivatives more promising for large scale production. Recently, a thiazole-centered oligothiophene donor Tz6T yields a high efficiency but deserves further improving. Substitution of halogen atoms on the end groups is proven to affect molecular packing through various non-covalent intermolecular interactions. Here we adopt terminal group engineering to regulate the optoelectronic properties of Tz6T. Through chlorine substitution, highest efficiency (9.60 %) is achieved in Tz6T-PH-Cl-4: eC9-4F binary device. Our results shed light on the structure-function relationship, and provide valuable insights into the regulation of phase separation.

Novel series of hydrazones carrying pyrazole and triazole moiety: Synthesis, structural elucidation, quantum computational studies and antiviral activity against SARS-Cov-2

The novel series of hydrazones carrying both pyrazole and triazole moiety were synthesized and characterized using single crystal X-ray diffraction studies. It is found that the compound crystallizes in the triclinic system in the space group P1̅. Hirshfeld analysis was carried out to visualize the noncovalent intermolecular interactions which are responsible for molecular packing in the crystal. Further, density functional theory (DFT) calculations were used to calculate optimized molecular structure, stability, and a few of the quantum chemical parameters. Derived results are in good agreement with the experimentally obtained results. Analysis of frontier molecular orbitals (HOMO and LUMO) and their energy gap of the optimized structure revealed that the compound is stable in the gaseous state. Molecular electron densities, and electrostatic potential maps provide the reactive site and charge distribution of triazole group. Quantum theory of atoms in molecules (QTAIM) and reduced density gradient (RDG) analysis were carried out to explore the weak interactions present in the molecule. In addition, the synthesized compound was investigated as an inhibitor for SARS CoV-2 protease using in-silico molecular docking analysis to understand the mode of binding. The docking results showed the good binding score with Mpro protease 6LU7. Further, molecular dynamics (MD) were carried out for the best hit docked complexes.

Synthesis, structure, and luminescence properties of a 0D organic-inorganic cadmium iodide: Combined experimental and theoretical approach

Hybrid organic-inorganic metal halide materials with zero-dimensional (0D) structures have emerged as a captivating field of research due to their distinctive electronic properties and remarkable broadband emission characteristics. In this study, we successfully synthesized a novel hybrid cadmium iodide compound, (BZA)2CdI4.H2O (BZA+: benzylammonium), in the form of single crystals employing the solvent-evaporation method. The room temperature single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis revealed that (BZA)2CdI4.H2O possesses a typical 0D crystal structure, where (CdI4)2− anions are spatially isolated and surrounded by (BZA)+ cations and H2O molecules. The crystal packing is intricately governed by various non-covalent intermolecular interactions, including π–π stacking interactions, NH…I, NH…O, and OH…I hydrogen bonds, quantified through Hirshfeld surface analysis. Thermal analysis further demonstrated that the removal of water molecules in the crystal lattice yields a dehydrated phase of (BZA)2(CdI4). Upon 330 nm irradiation, the title compound displayed a broad bluish-white light emission, featuring a primary band at 430 nm and a secondary band at 500 nm. Based on photoluminescence spectra measurements and density functional theory (DFT) calculations, the dual-band emission is assigned to the emission of (BZA)+ organic cations and to excitons confined in the [CdI4]2– isolated inorganic tetrahedron, respectively. Interestingly, the presence of isolated molecular units in the 0-D structure results in strongly localized charges and bluish-white light emission with Commission International de l'Eclairage (CIE) colour coordinates (0.23, 0.28). These results confirm the promise of 0D metal-halide hybrids with dual-band emission as luminescent materials for solid-state lighting.

An Asymmetric Coumarin-Anthracene Conjugate as Efficient Fullerene-Free Acceptor for Organic Solar Cells.

Asymmetric wide-bandgap fullerene-free acceptors (FFAs) play a crucial role in organic solar cells (OSCs). Here, we designed and synthesized a simple asymmetric coumarin-anthracene conjugate named CA-CN with optical bandgap of 2.1 eV in a single-step condensation reaction. Single crystal X-ray structure analysis confirms various multiple intermolecular non-covalent interactions. The molecular orbital energy levels of CA-CN estimated from cyclic voltammetry were found to be suitable for its use as an acceptor for OSCs. Binary OSCs fabricated using CA-CN as acceptor and PTB7-Th as the donor achieve a power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 11.13%. We further demonstrate that the insertion of 20 wt% of CA-CN as a third component in ternary OSCs with PTB7-Th:DICTF as the host material achieved an impressive PCE of 14.91%, an improvement of ~43% compared to the PTB7-Th:DICTF binary device (10.38%). Importantly, the ternary blend enhances the absorption coverage from 400 to 800 nm and improves the morphology of the active layer. The findings highlight the efficacy of an asymmetric design approach for FFAs, which paves the way for developing high-efficiency OSCs at low cost.

Computational Evaluation of the Structural, Topological, and Solvent Effects on the Nonlinear Optical Properties of 1-Methylurea Butanedioic Acid Crystal

In silico investigation of the effects of a molecule’s framework and surroundings on its nonlinear optical (NLO) response is still an active topic of study in the fields of photonics and optoelectronics. NLO materials play a crucial role in modern photonics and optoelectronic technologies. Presented here is a comprehensive theoretical analysis of the structural, topological, and NLO features of 1-methylurea butanedioic acid (MUBA) alongside solvent effects (water, DMSO, and benzene) using the DFT method at the B3LYP(D4)/6–311++G(d,p) level. Geometric and infrared parameters were calculated and compared with experimental values. The analysis using atoms in molecules (AIM) and the independent gradient model (IGM) reveals the presence of two noncovalent intermolecular interactions: N4–H16⋯O12 and O6–H25⋯O3, which stabilize the crystal structure. The natural bond orbital (NBO) analysis reveals that the LP(1)N4 ⟶ π∗(C2-O3) interaction is the most stabilizing and is enhanced in solvent environments. NLO data show that the first (βtot) and second (γ) hyperpolarizability values of MUBA are approximately 0.6–1.1 and 8.3–17.0 times higher than those of urea. In addition, the quadratic and cubic responses of MUBA are significantly reduced and increased, respectively, in solvent environments. Based on its NLO susceptibilities, MUBA exhibits SHG, EOPE, OKE, and EFISHG properties, suggesting its potential application in the production of optoelectronic devices and optical limiting. This study enhances our understanding of the factors influencing the NLO behaviour of organic crystals, providing valuable insights for designing materials with enhanced NLO characteristics. The implications extend to industries such as telecommunications and computing, where faster data transmission rates are in high demand.

Elucidating the structural and conformational preferences of bioactive chromone and its monohydrate through advanced rotational spectroscopy.

Chromones are a class of naturally occurring compounds, renowned for their diverse biological activities with significant relevance in medicine and biochemistry. This study marks the first analysis of rotational spectra of both the chromone monomer and its monohydrate through Fourier transform microwave spectroscopy. The observation of nine mono-substituted 13C isotopologues facilitated a semi-experimental determination of the equilibrium structure of the chromone monomer. In the case of chromone monohydrate, two distinct isomers were identified, each characterized by a combination of O-H⋯O and C-H⋯O hydrogen bonds involving the chromone's carbonyl group. This study further delved into intermolecular non-covalent interactions, employing different theoretical approaches. The relative population ratio of the two identified isomers was estimated to be about 2:1 within the supersonic jet.

Effects of cellulose diameter on the formation and rheological properties of edible walnut oleogels structured by cellulose nanofiber

Oleogel of edible vegetable oils structured by cellulose nanofiber (CNF) via emulsion-templated method has attracted many interests due to its potential substitute of saturated or trans-fats in food industry. The gelation mechanism of liquid oil is dominated by different intermolecular non-covalent interactions, while the type and strength of these interactions are greatly influenced by the structure and properties of the gelator factors. Here, the effect of different CNF diameter ranges (5–10 nm, 10–20 nm and 20–60 nm) was investigated for CNF-based walnut oil oleogels, under the same fiber length and surface carboxyl content of CNFs. The results showed that CNFs with diameters of <20 nm exhibited better emulsification properties, and effectively restrained droplet size increasing and aggregation, compared to CNF with diameter of 20–60 nm. The resultant oleogels with smaller CNF diameter exhibited higher oil-binding capacity (OBC, ∼85%) and better thermal stability of the resultant oleogels. More compact structure and stronger mechanical strength of oleogels were achieved with CNF diameters of <20 nm, which was verified by stronger textural hardness of the oleogels (0.46 N), as well as higher storage modulus (up to 1.1 × 105 Pa) and apparent viscosity in rheological measurement. The enhanced OBC and structure strength of oleogels with smaller CNF diameter could be attributed to the enhanced hydrogen bonding interactions between CNF molecules and CNFs with oil molecules during oleogelation, as the rigorously fibrillation exposed more surface hydroxyl groups as accessible hydrogen bonding sites during CNF preparation. This study improved the understanding about gelling properties of CNFs with different fiber diameters and provided an empirical basis for the construction of CNF-based oleogels with tunable hydrogen bonding interactions.

Synergistic regulation of chloride anion recognition using a triple-functional sites receptor with two different cationic effectors.

The synergistic regulation of the multi-functional sites on one receptor molecule with different cationic effectors for anion recognition is scarce to be well understood from the experiment and theory. In this work, a new anion receptor with three functional zones including ether hole, biurea and double bipyridine groups (EUPR) is designed expecting to enhance the chloride anion recognition together with a rational synthesis path being proposed based on four simple and mature organic reaction steps. The conformational structures of the designed receptor EUPR and the binding behaviors for three kinds of ions (Cl-, Na+, and Ag+) are deeply investigated by using density functional theoretical calculations. It is found that Cl- binding via the hydrogen bond interaction can be significantly enhanced and synergistically regulated by the two kinds of cations and the corresponding conformational changes of receptor EUPR. Especially, the conformational pre-organization of receptor caused by the encapsulation of sodium ion into ether hole is benefit to the binding for Cl- in both thermodynamics and kinetics. Na+ binding, in turn, can ever be enhanced by chloride anion, whereas it seems that Ag+ binding cannot always be enhanced by chloride anion, reflecting an electrical complementary matching and mutual enhancement effect for different counter ions. Moreover, solvent effect calculations indicate that EUPR may be an ideal candidate structure for Cl- recognition by strategy of counter ion enhancement in water. Additionally, a visual study of intermolecular noncovalent interaction (NCI) and molecular electrostatic potential (ESP) are used for the analysis on the nature of interactions between receptor and bound ions.

Recent Advances in π-Stacking Interaction-Controlled Asymmetric Synthesis.

The π-stacking interaction is one of the most important intramolecular and intermolecular noncovalent interactions in organic chemistry. It plays an important role in stabilizing some structures and transition states in certain reactions via both intramolecular and intermolecular interactions, facilitating different selectivities, such as chemo-, regio-, and stereoselectivities. This minireview focuses on the recent examples of the π-stacking interaction-controlled asymmetric synthesis, including auxiliary-induced asymmetric synthesis, kinetic resolution, asymmetric synthesis of helicenes and heterohelicenes, and multilayer 3D chiral molecules.

Experimental and theoretical studies for I⋯F, I⋯I and I⋯N intermolecular interactions Analysis in 5, 7-diiodoquinoline derivatives and their In-vitro DPP-4 inhibitory activity

5, 7-diiodoquinoline derivatives have been synthesized and characterized to study quantitative intermolecular noncovalent interactions through theoretical and experimental investigations, particularly for interactions involving electronegative atoms like I⋯F, I⋯I, and I⋯N. X-ray crystallography and Hirshfeld surface analysis have been used to perform the quantitative assessments of non-covalent interactions. Using Crystal Explorer 17, the calculations for intermolecular interactions were completed. Further, antidiabetic in-silico and in-vitro DPP-4 inhibitory activity have been done. The silicon studies have been carried out by Schrodinger on 2OLE pdb id. The in-vitro inhibitory DPP- 4 activity was determined by observing the rate of hydrolysis of a substrate Gly-pro-p-nitroanilide taking sitagliptin as a standard drug. The molecular docking and in-vitro studies revealed that all molecules had shown significant DPP-4 inhibitory activity compared to standard drugs sitagliptin.

Structural elucidation and interpretation of 2D‒3D supramolecular assemblies featuring lone-pair···π interaction in two Cu(II)‒PDA complexes: Experimental and computational assessment

The structural study of two synthesized Cu-PDA (Cu = Copper(II), PDA = deprotonated Pyridine-2,6-dicarboxylic acid) complexes has been carried out using single-crystal X-ray diffraction where complex (1) [Cu(PDA)(H2O)2] exhibits one-dimensional (1D) and two-dimensional (2D) supramolecular assemblies and complex (2) [Cu(PDA)(H2PDA)]·H2O exhibits 1D, 2D, and 3D (three-dimensional) supramolecular networks in their solid-state structure with the aid of intermolecular noncovalent interactions. Lone pair···π/π···lone pair networks are exclusively found in both complex (1) and (2). The intermolecular interactions are characterized through Hirshfeld surface analysis and quantified by 2D fingerprint plot. The noncovalent interactions are further characterized by Bader's theory of ‘Atoms in Molecules’ (AIM) and ‘noncovalent interaction’ (NCI) plot and the topological parameters at bond critical points (BCPs) have been evaluated. Therefore, the energetic factors to the stabilization of the crystal structure observed experimentally have been obtained by the computational calculations.

Recent Advances and Developments in Injectable Conductive Polymer Gels for Bioelectronics.

Soft matter bioelectronics represents an emerging and interdisciplinary research frontier aiming to harness the synergy between biology and electronics for advanced diagnostic and healthcare applications. In this context, a whole family of soft gels have been recently developed with self-healing ability and tunable biological mimetic features to act as a tissue-like space bridging the interface between the electronic device and dynamic biological fluids and body tissues. This review article provides a comprehensive overview of electroactive polymer gels, formed by noncovalent intermolecular interactions and dynamic covalent bonds, as injectable electroactive gels, covering their synthesis, characterization, and applications. First, hydrogels crafted from conducting polymers (poly(3,4-ethylene-dioxythiophene) (PEDOT), polyaniline (PANi), and polypyrrole (PPy))-based networks which are connected through physical interactions (e.g., hydrogen bonding, π-π stacking, hydrophobic interactions) or dynamic covalent bonds (e.g., imine bonds, Schiff-base, borate ester bonds) are addressed. Injectable hydrogels involving hybrid networks of polymers with conductive nanomaterials (i.e., graphene oxide, carbon nanotubes, metallic nanoparticles, etc.) are also discussed. Besides, it also delves into recent advancements in injectable ionic liquid-integrated gels (iongels) and deep eutectic solvent-integrated gels (eutectogels), which present promising avenues for future research. Finally, the current applications and future prospects of injectable electroactive polymer gels in cutting-edge bioelectronic applications ranging from tissue engineering to biosensing are outlined.

Superior Intermolecular Noncovalent Interactions Empowered Dopant‐Free Hole Transport Materials for Efficient and Stable Sb2(S,Se)3 Solar Cells

AbstractAntimony selenosulfide (Sb2(S,Se)3) solar cells are critically restrained by the Sb2(S,Se)3/charge transport layer interface with scarce carriers transfer ability and high density of deep‐level defect‐induced traps, which are prone to spark the nonradiative recombination and capture the benign photogenerated carriers. Herein, utilizing the intermolecular noncovalent interactions strategy in molecular stereoscopic structural engineering, two dopant‐free hole transport materials (HTMs) are constructed, coded as T‐BDT and F‐BDT, with synergistic hole selectivity and interfacial healing ability. The theoretical simulation and experimental results decipher that the F‐BDT possesses the more favorable planarized conformation, charge delocalization/coupling and molecular stacking pattern, which endow it with the salient hole selection, robust interface passivation and appropriate energy level alignment. Consequently, the Sb2(S,Se)3 solar cell with F‐BDT as dopant‐free HTM realize an outstanding power conversion efficiency of 9.13%, hitting the record high for Sb2(S,Se)3 devices under dopant‐free conditions.

Photoinduced Puffing with Large Volume Expansion and Photomechanical Motions induced by Topochemical [4+4] Reactions in Molecular Crystal Solvates.

In this work, we report the first example of two crystal solvates of an anthracene-benzhydrazide based molecule (Ant) that display very distinct photo-responsive behaviour when 365 or 405 nm or visible light is illuminated. For the first time, the crystal hydrate that has water molecule in the lattice (hereafter named as Ant-H2O) display fascinating puffing behavior with large volume expansion upto 50 % accompanied with surface modulation when illuminated with 405 nm light, a phenomenon very much similar to the rice or popcorn puffing by thermal treatment. Utilizing the properties of photoconverted Ant-H2O crystals, we have demonstrated their application in photoinduced enhanced liquid absorption using various liquids/solutions. The other crystal solvate having DMF in the crystal lattice (hereafter named as Ant-DMF) responds to 405 nm light by bending, twisting, chopping, jumping or splitting etc. The chopping of Ant-DMF crystal was also observed under ambient/white light but at a slower rate compared to 405 nm light. Single crystal X-ray diffraction study reveals that the photoinduced puffing and photomechanical effects of these materials are rooted to the topochemical [4+4] cycloaddition reaction between the anthracene moieties that facilitate molecular packing change assisted by the reconfiguration of intermolecular non-covalent interactions involving lattice trapped solvent molecules.

Dynamic fluorescence imaging and controllable capture/release of guests based on thermo-responsive perylene-cyclodextrin conjugates

In view of the fact that multivalent intermolecular noncovalent interactions are the main elements for the formation of phase separation, supramolecular entities are a type of multivalent system. However, the phase separation system based on single supramolecular molecules was limited. In this paper, two permethyl-β-cyclodextrin modified perylene monoamide derivatives (PMI-B-CD and PMI-N-CD) with modification of benzene and naphthalene groups at the bay position of perylene backbone were synthesized. Of interest, PMI-B-CD and PMI-N-CD showed a LCST effect due to a self-inclusion interaction between PMCD and the benzene or naphthalene groups in the bay position of perylene monoamide backbone. Dynamic confocal fluorescence imaging of PMI-B-CD and PMI-N-CD showed thermo-responsive phase separation process. It is surprised that PMI-B-CD and PMI-N-CD achieved thermo-responsive capture and release of aromatic guests. Dynamic phase separation and controllable capture and release of guests with thermo-responsive phase transition process are found, which opens a novel supramolecular principle of liquid-liquid transition.

Controlling the Morphology in Electrostatic Self-Assembly via Light.

Electrostatic self-assembly of macroions is an emerging area with great potential in the development of nanoscale functional objects, where photo-irradiation responsiveness can either elevate or suppress the self-assembly. The ability to control the size and shape of macroion assemblies would greatly facilitate the fabrication of desired nano-objects that can be harnessed in various applications such as catalysis, drug delivery, bio-sensors, and actuators. Here, we demonstrate that a polyelectrolyte with a size of 5 nm and multivalent counterions with a size of 1 nm can produce well-defined nanostructures ranging in size from 10-1000 nm in an aqueous environment by utilizing the concept of electrostatic self-assembly and other intermolecular non-covalent interactions including dipole-dipole interactions. The pH- and photoresponsiveness of polyelectrolytes and azo dyes provide diverse parameters to tune the nanostructures. Our findings demonstrate a facile approach to fabricating and manipulating self-assembled nanoparticles using light and neutron scattering techniques.