Self-patterning porous films of giant vesicles of {Mo72Fe30}(DODMA)3 complexes as frameworks

•Preparation and properties of self-patterning porous films consisting of giant vesicles formed by a 2.5-nm-diameter, {Mo72Fe30} cluster, and a double-tailed cationic surfactant, DODMABr, in CHCl3–CH3OH mixture solvent were described.•Self-patterning of these giant vesicles into porous films on solid surfaces can survive drying as the frameworks•The porous films of {Mo72Fe30}(DODMA)3 vesicles were endowed hydrophobic property from the hydrophilic surface.

This work describes the preparation and properties of self-patterning porous films consisting of giant vesicles formed by a 2.5-nm-diameter, polyoxometalate (POM) cluster {Mo72Fe30} macroanion, and a double-tailed cationic surfactant dimethyldistearylammonium bromide (DODMABr) in CHCl3–CH3OH mixture solvent (VCHCl3: VCH3OH = 3:1). These inverse vesicles with the diameter in the range of 0.45 ~ 1.3 μm in organic solution and the porous films consisting of the giant vesicles of the {Mo72Fe30}(DODMA)3 complexes were characterized by SEM, TEM, XPS and AFM observations. Self-patterning of these giant vesicles into porous films that are highly ordered honeycomb films on solid surfaces can survive drying as the frameworks are firstly studied in detail. Water contact angle measurements proved that the porous films of {Mo72Fe30}(DODMA)3 vesicles were endowed hydrophobic property from the hydrophilic surface. This porous film materials consisting of giant vesicles may be promising new options in many fields like photoelectrochemistry, sterilization, template, catalysis, in-situ synthesis.

Graphical abstractPreparation and properties of self-patterning porous films consisting of giant vesicles formed by a 2.5-nm-diameter, polyoxometalate (POM) cluster {Mo72Fe30} macroanion and a double-tailed cationic surfactant, dimethyldistearylammonium bromide (DODMABr), in CHCl3–CH3OH mixture solvent were described.Figure optionsDownload full-size imageDownload as PowerPoint slide