Ring-o-rings: a new category of supramolecular structures with topologically tunable properties

TL;DR

This paper introduces a new class of supramolecular structures called ring-o-rings, where circular macrochains of interlocked rings exhibit tunable topological properties, enabling control over their physical and mechanical characteristics.

Contribution

It demonstrates that circularizing macrochains of interlocked rings allows for topological control of torsional stress and confirms a topological relation similar to the C3lugeareanu-White-Fuller theorem in these structures.

Findings

Circular macrochains can store torsional stress.

The relation Tw + Wr = constant applies to these structures.

Potential for designing highly tunable supramolecular materials.

Abstract

Macrochains of topologically interlocked rings with unique physical properties have recently gained considerable interest in supramolecular chemistry, biology, and soft matter. Most of the work has been, so far, focused on linear chains and on their variety of conformational properties compared to standard polymers. Here we go beyond the linear case and show that, by circularizing such macrochains, one can exploit the topology of the local interlockings to store torsional stress in the system, altering significantly its metric and local properties. Moreover, by properly defining the twist (Tw) and writhe (Wr) of these macrorings we show the validity of a relation equivalent to the C\v{a}lug\v{a}reanu-White-Fuller theorem $Tw + Wr$=const, originally proved for ribbon like structures such as ds-DNA. Our results suggest that circular structures of topologically linked rings with storable and tunable torsion can form a new category of highly designable multiscale structures with potential applications in supramolecular chemistry and material science