Light-driven Autonomous (dis)Assembly and Molecular Movement Out-of-Equilibrium

Santra, Suryatanu (2025) Light-driven Autonomous (dis)Assembly and Molecular Movement Out-of-Equilibrium. Masters thesis, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Kolkata.

Text (MS Dissertation of Suryatanu Santra (20MS126)) 20MS126_Thesis_file.pdf - Submitted Version Restricted to Repository staff only Download (2MB)

Abstract

Living matter utilizes continuous consumption of energy to exist in a nonequilibrium steady state to regulate complex behavior, from cell division to motility. Rudimentary or advanced biological systems must have utilized the available light energy to modulate chemical processes. Simple supramolecular systems use chemically activated molecules as the source of energy that can help in the design of active and adaptive systems with lifelike dynamic properties. Yet, utilizing light as an energy source to achieve dynamic non-equilibrium architectures with spatiotemporal control can possibly result in the emergence of complex systems with useful functions. Herein, we report a simple amine containing building blocks containing phenylalanine and lipophilic long chain that could undergo autonomous dis(assembly) with a photo-responsive chromophore. The chromophore, under proper energy source (light) can alter its hydrophobicity in the medium to induce non-equilibrium self-assembly with remarkable spatiotemporal control over the different micro and macroscopic properties. Notably, this light-driven system shows macroscopic molecular movement utilizing unidirectional kinetic approach, mimicking photo-modulated non-equilibrium biochemical processes.

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