Spin-Polarized Electron Transport and Catalytic Enhancement in Chiral Supramolecular Polymer Assemblies

Chirality is recognized as a vital factor in generating strong spin selectivity in organic π-conjugated systems. In recent years, chiral polymers and supramolecular assemblies have attracted interest as potential spin-filtering materials because of the chirality-induced spin-selectivity (CISS) effect. However, despite their potential applications in spintronics, the CISS effect in metal-free supramolecular architectures remains relatively less explored. In this work, we have investigated metal-free supramolecular materials based on chiral naphthalenediimide (NDI) moieties for potential applications of the CISS effect. Our results highlight the crucial role of electron spin in governing spin-selective charge transport, as well as in boosting oxygen reduction and evolution reactions. Notably, the CISS effect enables chiral analogues to exhibit superior catalytic behavior, reflected in higher current densities and more positive onset potentials, clear evidence of spin-dependent processes. Overall, this work demonstrates the substantial promise of metal-free chiral organic materials for spintronics applications, opening new avenues for device design and advanced functionalities.