Collapse and Self-Reconstruction of Mesoscopic Architectures of Supramolecular J Aggregates in Solution: From Strings to Tubular Rods

This Letter reports the collapse and subsequent self-reassembly of mesoscopic architectures of supramolecular J aggregates in solution. Ultrasonication of the string-like 5,5'-dichloro-3,3'-disulfopropyl thiacyanine (TC) J aggregates caused fragmentation (collapse) of the initial morphology, followed by a prompt self-reconstruction into mesoscopic rod-like architectures. Fluorescence microscopy, polarized light microscopy, atomic force microscopy and near-field scanning optical microscopy revealed that the apparent rod-like morphology was a tubular architecture with a monomolecular wall (single-wall) and open ends.