화학공학소재연구정보센터
Langmuir, Vol.25, No.13, 7328-7334, 2009
Accurately Tuning the Charge on Giant Polyoxometalate Type Keplerates through Stoichiometric Interaction with Cationic Surfactants
We report an approach of exploring the interaction between cationic surfactants and a type of structurally well-defined, spherical "Keplerate" polyoxometalate (POM) macroanionic molecular clusters, {Mo72V30}, in aqueous solution. The effectiveness of the interaction can be determined by monitoring the size change of the "blackberry" supromolecular structures formed by the self-assembly of {Mo72V30} macroions, which is determined by the effective charge density oil the macroions. Long-chain surfactants (CTAB and CTAT) can interact with {Mo72V30} macroions stoichiometrically and lower their charge density. Consequently, the blackberry size decreases continuously with increasing surfactant concentration in solution. On the other hand, for short-chain surfactants (e.g., OTAB), a larger fraction of surfactants exist as discrete chains in solution and do not strongly interact with the macroions. This approach shows that a controllable amount of suitable surfactants can accurately tune the charge on large molecular clusters.