Mechanically Stretching Folded Nano‐π‐b;‐stacks Reveals Pico‐Newton Attractive Forces

Picoforce atomic force microscopy (AFM) and specific DNA hybridization have been used to lock on to synthetic nano-π-stacks, revealing the secrets of thermophilic, albeit weak, π–π interactions. A cone-shaped dendron created an appropriate lateral spacing to ensure that most times a single stack was confined between the tip and the substrate, eliminating undesired multi-molecular pulling and greatly simplifying data analysis.