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Abstract Self-assembly of small molecules in water provides a powerful route to nanostructures with pristine molecular organization and small dimensions (<10 nm). Such assemblies represent emerging high surface area nanomaterials, customizable for biomedical and energy applications. However, to exploit self-assembly, the constituent molecules must be sufficiently amphiphilic and satisfy prescribed packing criteria, dramatically limiting the range of surface chemistries achievable. Here, we design supramolecular nanoribbons that contain: (1) inert and stable internal domains, and (2) sacrificial surface groups that are thermally labile, and we demonstrate complete thermal decomposition of the nanoribbon surfaces. After heating, the remainder of each constituent molecule is kinetically trapped, nanoribbon morphology and internal organization are maintained, and the nanoribbons are fully hydrophobic. This approach represents a pathway to form nanostructures that circumvent amphiphilicity and packing parameter constraints and generates structures that are not achievable by self-assembly alone, nor top-down approaches, broadening the utility of molecular nanomaterials for new targets. 

The self-assembly of amphiphilic molecules in water has led to a wide variety of nanostructures with diverse applications. Many nanostructures are stabilized by strong interactions between monomer units, such as hydrogen bonding and π–π stacking. However, the morphological implications of these strong, anisotropic interactions can be difficult to predict. In this study, we investigate the relationships between molecular flexibility, head group repulsion, and supramolecular geometry in an aramid amphiphile nanostructure that is known to exhibit extensive hydrogen bonding and π–π stacking – features that give rise to their unusual stability. We find by electron microscopy that increasing backbone flexibility disrupts molecular packing into high aspect-ratio nanoribbons, and at the highest degree of flexibility long-range ordering is lost. Even when backbone rigidity favors tight packing, increasing head group charge through pH-modulation leads to intermolecular electrostatic repulsion that also disrupts close packing. Spectroscopic measurements suggest that these changes are accompanied by disruption of π–π stacking but not hydrogen bonding. Backbone rigidity and head group repulsion are thus important design considerations for controlling internal stability and nanostructure curvature in supramolecular assemblies stabilized by π–π stacking interactions.