article published yes Max Burian author Francesco Rigodanza author Nicola Demitri author Luka D̵ord̵ević author Silvia Marchesan author Tereza Steinhartova author Ilse Letofsky-Papst author Ivan Khalakhan author Eléonore Mourad author Stefan Alexander Freunberger author A8CA28E6-CE23-11E9-AD2D-EC27E66974250000-0003-2902-5319 Heinz Amenitsch author Maurizio Prato author Zois Syrgiannis author 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. https://research-explorer.ista.ac.at/download/7285/8052/Manuscript 20092017_subm.pdf application/pdfno ACS2018 eng 1936-085110.1021/acsnano.8b01689 1265800-5806 yes M. Burian <i>et al.</i>, “Inter-backbone charge transfer as prerequisite for long-range conductivity in perylene bisimide hydrogels,” <i>ACS Nano</i>, vol. 12, no. 6. ACS, pp. 5800–5806, 2018. Burian, Max, Francesco Rigodanza, Nicola Demitri, Luka D̵ord̵ević, Silvia Marchesan, Tereza Steinhartova, Ilse Letofsky-Papst, et al. “Inter-Backbone Charge Transfer as Prerequisite for Long-Range Conductivity in Perylene Bisimide Hydrogels.” <i>ACS Nano</i>. ACS, 2018. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1021/acsnano.8b01689">https://doi.org/10.1021/acsnano.8b01689</a>. M. Burian, F. Rigodanza, N. Demitri, L. D̵ord̵ević, S. Marchesan, T. Steinhartova, I. Letofsky-Papst, I. Khalakhan, E. Mourad, S.A. Freunberger, H. Amenitsch, M. Prato, Z. Syrgiannis, ACS Nano 12 (2018) 5800–5806. Burian, M., Rigodanza, F., Demitri, N., D̵ord̵ević, L., Marchesan, S., Steinhartova, T., … Syrgiannis, Z. (2018). Inter-backbone charge transfer as prerequisite for long-range conductivity in perylene bisimide hydrogels. <i>ACS Nano</i>. ACS. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1021/acsnano.8b01689">https://doi.org/10.1021/acsnano.8b01689</a> Burian M, Rigodanza F, Demitri N, D̵ord̵ević L, Marchesan S, Steinhartova T, Letofsky-Papst I, Khalakhan I, Mourad E, Freunberger SA, Amenitsch H, Prato M, Syrgiannis Z. 2018. Inter-backbone charge transfer as prerequisite for long-range conductivity in perylene bisimide hydrogels. ACS Nano. 12(6), 5800–5806. Burian M, Rigodanza F, Demitri N, et al. Inter-backbone charge transfer as prerequisite for long-range conductivity in perylene bisimide hydrogels. <i>ACS Nano</i>. 2018;12(6):5800-5806. doi:<a href="https://doi.org/10.1021/acsnano.8b01689">10.1021/acsnano.8b01689</a> Burian, Max, et al. “Inter-Backbone Charge Transfer as Prerequisite for Long-Range Conductivity in Perylene Bisimide Hydrogels.” <i>ACS Nano</i>, vol. 12, no. 6, ACS, 2018, pp. 5800–06, doi:<a href="https://doi.org/10.1021/acsnano.8b01689">10.1021/acsnano.8b01689</a>. 72852020-01-15T12:13:25Z2021-01-12T08:12:46Z