Single-crystal 9,10-diphenylanthracene nanoribbons and nanorods

Single-crystal 9,10-diphenylanthracene (DPA) nanoribbons and nanorods with uniform sizes and shapes were synthesized via a simple surfactant-assisted self-assembly process. The shape of the as-prepared nanostructures can be readily controlled by varying the solubility of DPA in the preparation solution. A growth mechanism was proposed for the formation of different morphological structures. Crystal structure analysis demonstrated that the overlap between the two phenyl groups at the opposite positions of the anthracene backbone forms effective intermolecular linking for crystal growth, in good agreement with prediction from quantum mechanical calculations. Electronic and optical properties of the as-prepared nanostructures are investigated.