Hydrogelation, the self-assembly of molecules into soft, water-loaded networks, is one way to bridge the structural gap between single molecules and functional materials. The potential of hydrogels, such as those based on perylene bisimides, lies in their chemical, physical, optical, and electronic properties, which are governed by the supramolecular structure of the gel. However, the structural motifs and their precise role for long-range conductivity are yet to be explored. Here, we present a comprehensive structural picture of a perylene bisimide hydrogel, suggesting that its long-range conductivity is limited by charge transfer between electronic backbones. We reveal nanocrystalline ribbon-like structures as the electronic and structural backbone units between which charge transfer is mediated by polar solvent bridges. We exemplify this effect with sensing, where exposure to polar vapor enhances conductivity by 5 orders of magnitude, emphasizing the crucial role of the interplay between structural motif and surrounding medium for the rational design of devices based on nanocrystalline hydrogels.

中文翻译：

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骨间电荷转移是Per双酰亚胺水凝胶中长程电导率的前提

水凝胶化是分子自组装成柔软的，充满水的网络，是弥合单个分子与功能材料之间的结构缺口的一种方法。水凝胶（例如基于per双酰亚胺的水凝胶）的潜力在于其化学，物理，光学和电子性质，这些性质受凝胶的超分子结构支配。但是，结构基序及其对于长距离电导的精确作用尚待探索。在这里，我们介绍了bi双酰亚胺水凝胶的全面结构图，表明其长程电导率受到电子主链之间电荷转移的限制。我们揭示了纳米晶带状结构作为电子和结构主链单元，其间的电荷转移是由极性溶剂桥介导的。