A mechanical bond presents a combination of the best features of covalent and supramolecular chemistries (stability and structural integrity), plus a unique dynamic nature, that makes it a very interesting tool for materials chemistry. This doctoral thesis examines the chemistry of the mechanical bond applied to polymers, single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs), metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) and mechanical interlocked molecules (MIMs).
The first chapter comprises an introduction regarding several synthetic strategies towards polycatenanes and polyrotaxanes, considering their potential impact in polymer chemistry. This is exemplified by their use in stimuli-responsive gels and as binders in battery electrodes. Subsequently, it is shown how to include mechanically interlocked components in MOFs, along with the distinctive dynamic properties of the structures achieved. Likewise, tackling some of the classic problems of SWNTs is intended through the introduction of the mechanical linkage, accomplishing mechanically interlocked single-walled carbon nanotubes (MINTs).
The following chapters of this work are focused on the experimental use of the mechanical bond as a toolkit towards the manufacture of MINTs-based polymer composites (chapter 2), as well as the applicability of its dynamic features in MOFs (chapter 3). Nevertheless, the main chapter of this thesis is dedicated to the organic synthesis of daisy chains (chapter 4), an example of MIMs which can lead to particularly attractive molecular machines. Conclusively, a collaborative final chapter (not related to the use of mechanical bonding) entails the synthesis of covalent organic frameworks (COFs) bearing pyrene molecules (chapter 5). These solid-state structures show highly promising applications in chemical sensing of pollutants directly in water.
Along these lines, a little circle around some modern chemical architectures is eventually depicted, aiming to endorse the design of up-to-date machinery in materials science.
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