Hydrodynamic Effects in Soft‐matter Self‐assembly: The Case of J‐Aggregates of Amphiphilic Porphyrins

Chiral J‐aggregates of achiral amphiphilic porphyrins (4‐sulfonatophenyl and aryl meso‐substituted porphyrins) show several effects under the hydrodynamic forces of common stirring. These effects can be classified as pure mechanic (e. g. elasticity, plasticity and breaking of the self‐assembly non‐covalent bonding) and chemically selective as detected in the formation/growth of the nanoparticles. Diastereoselective, enantioselective and, depending on the sign of chiral shear forces, even enantiospecific selections have been described. Some types of these effects have been reported in other type of J‐aggregates. Reversible and irreversible structural effects have been studied by atomic force imaging. The determination of the optical polarization properties (linear and circular) of their solutions is best done using Mueller matrix polarimetry methods. The chiral J‐aggregates of achiral amphiphilic porphyrins show hydrodynamic effects on their nanoparticles and selectivity on the nanoparticle growths, which represent a simple paradigm on the effect of macroscopic forces on the morphology and structure of supramolecular species obtained by self‐assembly.