Effect of hydrostatic pressure on the supramolecular assembly of surfactant-cyclodextrin inclusion complexes†

Abstract

The supramolecular assembly of simple colloids into complex, hierarchical structures arises from a delicate interplay of short-range directional and isotropic long-range forces. These assemblies are highly sensitive to environmental changes, such as temperature variations and the presence of specific molecules, making them promising candidates for nanomachine design. In this study, we investigate the effect of hydrostatic pressure, up to 1800 bar, on the supramolecular assemblies of cyclodextrin/surfactant complexes. Using small-angle neutron scattering, we demonstrate that while the overall structure of the supramolecular aggregates remains largely stable under pressure, the stiffness of the planar lattice formed by the inclusion complexes, the basic structural unit of the supramolecular assemblies, shows a fourfold increase between 250 and 1000 bar. These findings suggest that high-pressure studies can be exploited to better understand the mechanisms of supramolecular assembly processes, thereby aiding in the design of more robust and functional systems.