June 17, 2010: Vol. 114, Iss. 23

Potassium-mediated supramolecular organization of water and dyes in zeolite nanochannels. Computational studies show that interaction with potassium extraframework cations stabilizes the carbonylic dye fluorenone inside zeolite L, leading to a water-resistant dye-zeolite composite. The material is based on the supramolecular organization of neutral dyes; K+ mediates the dye/water cohabitation in nanochannels, while the water hydrogen bond network modulates the dye electronic excitation properties and orientation dynamics. The image shows a magnification starting from zeolite L crystals arranged as an oriented monolayer to the framework and finally the molecular structure of the guest inside a nanochannel.  See page 10572.