Photoresponsive Supramolecules: Fibers and Vesicles Formed by Self-assembled Azobenzene-Containing Amphiphilic Phosphates

Abstract

Lyotrop ic liquid crystal (LLC) , one of the liquid crystalline phases, commonly was used to describe materials composed of amphiphilic molecules and solvents. The amphiphilic molecules comprise a hydrophilic head group and a hydrophobic group, whose typical example is phospholipid. In recent years, LLC, as a form of supramolecule, has attracted many researchers' attention owing to their excellent potential as drug delivery systems. In this work, stimuli-responsive azobenzene-containing amphiphilic phosphate derivatives (X-Az-Y-6-PC), showing a LLC phase in water, were designed and prepared. Then, by mixing 2 different kinds of X-Az-Y-6-PC, vesicles or fibers were obtained. Finally, the effect of light on self-assembled supramolecules was investigated.