Monitoring the hierarchical evolution from a double-stranded helix to a well-defined microscopic morphology based on a turbine-like aromatic molecule

1H-Indazolo[1,2-b]phthalazine-5,10-dione IPDD with an approximate turbine-like spatial structure, primary assembled double-stranded helices at the first level, was predicted by quantum chemical calculations and confirmed by atomic force microscopy. The higher-dimensional hierarchical architectures including fibrils, helical fibers, spherical shells, and porous prismatic structures were observed in sequence by the scanning electron microscopy technique. The final porous prismatic structures sensitive to NH3 vapors have the potential to be applied in gas sensing and absorbing materials.