Controllable self-assembly of porphyrins and their applications

Porphyrins are cyclic molecules with large π-conjugated structure. They can form ordered nanostructures through controllable self-assembly via multiple non-covalent interactions, to regulate their photoelectric properties effectively. However, it is still a great challenge to accurately regulate the self-assembly process to obtain self-assembled nanostructures with controllable morphology, uniform size and ordered internal structure, and further to clarify the key factors controlling the performance. This paper reviews the development of solution phase self-assembly strategy of porphyrin self-assemblies in recent years and its applications in the fields of photocatalysis, chemical sensor and biological phototherapy, and preliminarily summarizes the structure-performance relationship between the morphology, size and internal structure of porphyrin self-assembled nanostructures and related applications.