Nature has demonstrated its capacity to form self-assembled tubular systems with specific functions; some examples being the mosaic tobacco virus or tube-forming proteins, such as tubulin or aquaporin. Driven by their large variety of potential applications, their nanometre-scale dimensions, and their appealing high aspect ratio, scientists are increasingly being attracted to the challenge of designing artificial nanotubular and nanoporous materials.
In this context, NanoSpace arises as an unconventional and versatile biologically inspired project, based on molecular self-assembly, towards organic water-soluble tubular architectures endowed with well-defined hydrophobic nanospaces. This project is focused on introducing catalytic function to such porous nanostructures. The inner confined space of the nanotubes would provide with controlled chemical coatings (i.e. hydrophobic) so that they can extract and host molecules as a function of their size and chemical affinity. The attachment of catalysts would allow the transformation of specifically recognized molecules. The ultimate objective would be the fabrication of advanced nanoporous materials for the extraction and catalytic transformation of specific molecules as a function of their size and chemical nature.
NanoSpace introduces fundamental challenges and unprecedented approaches in chemical self-assembly. NanoSpace has been devised as a starting point toward highly innovative functional nanomaterials with engineered pores that may offer an unprecedented degree of selectivity in terms of extraction and transformation of specific chemicals.
