Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Rawan Khalaf, Andrea Viamonte, Etienne Ducrot, Remi Merindol, Serge Ravaine
Summary: Patchy particles have gained attention for their ability to develop directional and selective interactions and serve as building blocks for self-assembling innovative colloidal molecules and crystalline structures. A new approach using colloidal stamps has been introduced to pattern functional DNA patches on particle surfaces, enabling selective strand-displacement reactions. These produced DNA-patchy particles are ideal candidates for advanced precision and designer building blocks to self-assemble the next generation of colloidal materials.
Article
Polymer Science
Lei Tian, Yanxing Liu, Dai Wang, Jiji Tan, Yankun Xie, Bei Li, Qiuyu Zhang, Caizhen Zhu, Jian Xu
Summary: This article reports on a swelling-induced self-assembly method for controlled colloidal clusters using a click seeded emulsion polymerization. The driving force is liquid bridging, and colloidal clusters with tunable structures can be prepared by regulating the formation of liquid bridges. Moreover, it is possible to transform patchy particles into clusters by changing the seed concentrations.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Albert Tianxiang Liu, Marek Hempel, Jing Fan Yang, Allan M. Brooks, Ana Pervan, Volodymyr B. Koman, Ge Zhang, Daichi Kozawa, Sungyun Yang, Daniel I. Goldman, Marc Z. Miskin, Andrea W. Richa, Dana Randall, Todd D. Murphey, Tomas Palacios, Michael S. Strano
Summary: Robots have components that work together to accomplish a task. Colloidal robots are particles capable of functions such as sensing, computation, communication, locomotion, and energy management that are all controlled by the particle itself. Their design and synthesis is an emerging area of interdisciplinary research drawing from materials science, colloid science, self-assembly, robophysics, and control theory.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
James B. Stahley, Mehdi B. Zanjani
Summary: This passage discusses the utilization of DNA-mediated assembly of colloidal particles to produce structures with desirable properties, and the study of ordered structures through self-assembly of multiple types of colloidal particles with different interaction matrices. The research involves Molecular Dynamics simulations to analyze growth behavior, predict target structures, and study phononic spectra of various ternary structures. The results provide guidelines for designing ternary and quadripartite colloidal structures, and suggest new directions for experimental work to target formation of multi-component colloidal superstructures.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Zhe Xu, Theodore Hueckel, William T. M. Irvine, Stefano Sacanna
Summary: The research team has created non-biological capsules that can capture, concentrate, store, and release microscopic payloads as needed. This design uses hollow colloids as cell-membrane mimics with a well-defined single pore, allowing for mass production and offering a blueprint for developing smart materials, micro-machinery, and artificial cell mimics.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Ahmed Mourchid, Imane Boucenna, Florent Carn
Summary: The research explores the influence of grain size on the mechanical strength enhancement of a soft colloidal "alloy". They found that the grain size evolves non-monotonically when the nanoparticle concentration increases. The yield stress strictly obeys the Hall-Petch law and follows a linear variation as a function of the inverse square root of the grain diameter.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Cicely Shillingford, Brandon M. Kim, Marcus Weck
Summary: Capillary assembly of liquid particles (CALP) is a microfabrication strategy for engineering arbitrarily shaped polymer colloids. CALP demonstrates versatility by engineering geometrically diverse Janus and patchy colloids using consecutive assembly and heterogeneous coassembly. It enables the design and fabrication of colloids with complex internal construction to target hierarchical functional materials, with the potential for further processing into colloid-based microscale devices.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Jing Zheng, Jingyuan Chen, Yakang Jin, Yan Wen, Yijiang Mu, Changjin Wu, Yufeng Wang, Penger Tong, Zhigang Li, Xu Hou, Jinyao Tang
Summary: In this study, a simple spectral selective active colloidal system is designed, in which TiO2 colloidal species are coded with spectral distinctive dyes to form a photochromic colloidal swarm. By combining incident light with various wavelengths and intensities, the particle-particle interactions can be programmed, enabling controllable colloidal gelation and segregation. This system presents a facile approach towards colored electronic paper and self-powered optical camouflage.
Review
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Theodore Hueckel, Glen M. Hocky, Stefano Sacanna
Summary: Atoms serve as an inspiration for colloidal self-assembly, allowing building blocks to combine and confer functionality through principles like directionality, valence, and reversible binding. Tetrahedral structures inspired by carbon atoms bonding are now accessible through molecular mimetic colloidal building blocks. Complex colloidal particles can be synthesized and arranged in their own periodic table, leading to diverse assembly routes based on unique particle shape and surface chemistry.
NATURE REVIEWS MATERIALS
(2021)
Article
Physics, Multidisciplinary
Manish Trivedi, Dhruv Saxena, Wai Kit Ng, Riccardo Sapienza, Giorgio Volpe
Summary: Experiments show that external optical stimulus can reconfigure colloidal random lasers spatially and continuously adjust their lasing threshold. These dynamic random lasers can self-organize and respond to external stimuli, presenting a tunable lasing threshold.
Review
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Zachary M. Sherman, Allison M. Green, Michael P. Howard, Eric Anslyn, Thomas M. Truskett, Delia J. Milliron
Summary: The assembly of tunable nanocrystal gels using reversible chemical bonding and polymer-induced depletion attractions shows promise for creating functional materials with controllable properties, although challenges exist in translating principles to the nanoscale. The control of structure and properties at both microscopic and macroscopic levels is key in guiding the reversible assembly of nanocrystal gels. Insights from statistical thermodynamic theory and computer simulation have helped in predicting conditions for gelation and optimizing experimental parameters for targeted functionalities.
ACCOUNTS OF CHEMICAL RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Mert Ulusel, Orcun Dincer, Ozan Sahin, Simge Cinar-Aygun
Summary: Nucleation and growth are crucial steps in microstructure formation, and controlling the solidification conditions allows for the manipulation of phase distribution within particles. This method offers a novel opportunity for the scalable production of compartmentalized particles with high yields.
ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Yang Liu, Jiemin Wang, Inhar Imaz, Daniel Maspoch
Summary: A new approach was reported to direct the assembly of colloidal clusters using the polyhedral shape of metal-organic-framework particles. By controlling the attachment of a single spherical polystyrene particle on each face of a polyhedral particle, the polyhedral shape defined the final coordination number and geometry of the assembled colloidal cluster. This approach successfully assembled six-coordinated octahedral, eight-coordinated cubic, and highly coordinated cuboctahedral clusters.
JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY
(2021)
Review
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
You-Jin Kim, Jeong-Bin Moon, Hyerim Hwang, Youn Soo Kim, Gi-Ra Yi
Summary: Significant progress has been made in the synthesis and assembly of patchy colloidal clusters in recent years. These clusters, through a DNA-mediated interlocking process, can form directional bonding with specific rotation angles, and have potential applications in photonic crystals, metamaterials, topological photonic insulators, and separation membranes.
ADVANCED MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Lukasz Baran, Dariusz Tarasewicz, Daniel M. M. Kaminski, Wojciech Rzysko
Summary: Selective fabrication of cubic diamond is achieved in a one-component system by applying an external field and manipulating its strength. The formation is driven by the commensurate structure of the first adlayer with the (110) face of cubic diamond. The structure remains stable even after the external field is turned off, allowing for further post-synthetic treatment.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Ronny Foerster, Stefan Weidlich, Mona Nissen, Torsten Wieduwilt, Jens Kobelke, Aaron M. Goldfain, Timothy K. Chiang, Rees F. Garmann, Vinothan N. Manoharan, Yoav Lahini, Markus A. Schmidt
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Andreas Neophytou, Vinothan N. Manoharan, Dwaipayan Chakrabarti
Summary: Through a computational approach, we address the challenges of design principles, self-assembly pathways, and stability of the photonic band gap. We establish the design principles for the rod-connected diamond structure (RCD) and devise two distinct self-assembly routes, showing how these routes avoid metastable amorphous phases. Finally, we demonstrate that both polymorphs support spectrally overlapping photonic band gaps.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Victoria Hwang, Anna B. Stephenson, Solomon Barkley, Soeren Brandt, Ming Xiao, Joanna Aizenberg, Vinothan N. Manoharan
Summary: Disordered nanostructures can exhibit angle-independent structural colors, potentially replacing dyes in some applications. Designing specific colors in nanostructures is challenging, but can be achieved through modeling and optimization approaches. Developing accurate predictive models for disordered nanostructures with multiple scattering is key to engineering design of structural colors for various applications.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2021)
Article
Optics
Caroline Martin, Brian Leahy, Vinothan N. Manoharan
Summary: This study investigates the effects of spherical aberration on single-particle holograms and accuracy of particle characterization, finding that it can lead to systematic shifts in inferred refractive index and radius. Fitting with a model that considers spherical aberration can reduce this error significantly, making particle characterization more robust across different levels of aberration.
Article
Optics
Ming Xiao, Anna B. Stephenson, Andreas Neophytou, Victoria Hwang, Dwaipayan Chakrabarti, Vinothan N. Manoharan
Summary: Photonic glasses, isotropic structures with short-range correlations, can produce structural colors with little angle-dependence, though this may result in low color saturation. The trade-off between saturation and angle-independence can be broken by tuning the width of the first peak of the structure factor and controlling sample thickness. The protocol used to pack particles into a photonic glass is crucial for its optical properties.
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Nabila Tanjeem, William H. Wilkin, Daniel A. Beller, Chris H. Rycroft, Vinothan N. Manoharan
Summary: This study investigates the growth of 2D crystals of colloidal nanoparticles on cylindrical substrates using a combination of experiment and simulation. The cylindrical geometry influences how the crystals grow, resulting in kinked line slips containing partial vacancies. The closure constraint of the cylinder leads to frustrated crystal growth, impacting the formation of structures such as chiral optical nanomaterials.
ACS APPLIED NANO MATERIALS
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Emily W. Gehrels, W. Benjamin Rogers, Zorana Zeravcic, Vinothan N. Manoharan
Summary: By functionalizing colloidal particles with DNA oligonucleotides, they can be programmed to interact in complex ways and respond to temperature changes using DNA strand-displacement reactions. This study explores the requirements for thermally driven directed motion of colloidal particles and demonstrates the design considerations and limitations of using DNA-mediated interactions in dynamic systems.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Cheng Zeng, Maya Winters Faaborg, Ahmed Sherif, Martin J. Falk, Rozhin Hajian, Ming Xiao, Kara Hartig, Yohai Bar-Sinai, Michael P. Brenner, Vinothan N. Manoharan
Summary: In this study, capillary forces are dynamically modulated to move objects in programmable two-dimensional patterns. Machines are designed to translate, rotate, separate, and braid multiple floating objects. This approach provides a quick, inexpensive way to manipulate micrometre-scale particles and braid microwires for high-frequency electronics.
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Anna B. Stephenson, Ming Xiao, Victoria Hwang, Liangliang Qu, Paul A. Odorisio, Michael Burke, Keith Task, Ted Deisenroth, Solomon Barkley, Rupa H. Darji, Vinothan N. Manoharan
Summary: Photonic balls are spheres that contain nanoparticles or nanopores, with a diameter comparable to the wavelength of light. They can exhibit structural color due to their disordered but correlated nanoscale features, making them a promising type of pigment for various applications. However, predicting the color of materials made from photonic balls is challenging due to the need to account for sphere geometry and multiple scattering. In this study, a multiscale modeling approach involving Monte Carlo simulations is developed to address these challenges.
Article
Optics
Xander M. De Wit, Amelia W. Paine, Caroline Martin, Aaron M. Goldfain, Rees F. Garmann, Vinothan N. Manoharan
Summary: Interferometric scattering microscopy combined with Bayesian framework and automatic differentiation technique presents a new method for analyzing interferometric images, enabling the determination of three-dimensional position, polarizability, uncertainties, and correlations of nanoscale systems, as well as inferring their static and dynamic properties.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Clary Rodriguez-Cruz, Mehdi Molaei, Amruthesh Thirumalaiswamy, Klebert Feitosa, Vinothan N. Manoharan, Shankar Sivarajan, Daniel H. Reich, Robert A. Riggleman, John C. Crocker
Summary: A recent study showed that the random motions of the bubbles in a soft glassy material are due to the configuration of the system moving over a fractal energy landscape in high-dimensional space. The analysis of the observed trajectories of oil droplets in a dense emulsion reproduced the high-dimensional fractal geometry of the configuration path and confirmed the presence of fractal energy landscape dynamics. This discovery suggests that similar dynamics in different soft and biological materials may also be attributed to fractal landscape dynamics.
Review
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Caroline Martin, Lauren E. Altman, Siddharth Rawat, Anna Wang, David G. Grier, Vinothan N. Manoharan
Summary: Holographic microscopy is an optical microscope that collects holograms and analyzes them to obtain information about specimen properties. It offers high-speed acquisition of precise results. This Primer introduces in-line holographic microscopy and three analysis methods and discusses applications, reproducibility, and limitations. It also provides an outlook on future development and the integration between experiment and computational analysis.
NATURE REVIEWS METHODS PRIMERS
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Ming Xiao, Jie Mao, Matthias Kollosche, Victoria Hwang, David R. Clarke, Vinothan N. Manoharan
Summary: Structurally colored materials have the potential to switch colors in response to external stimuli, making them useful in various applications. However, their use is restricted by angular dependence, slow response, and lack of synchronous control. To address these challenges, the combination of structurally colored photonic glasses and elastomer actuators provides a solution with quick color changes and instability tolerance. This platform can be applied in soft and curved color displays, camouflage, and multifunctional sensors.
MATERIALS HORIZONS
(2022)
Meeting Abstract
Biophysics
Ofer Kimchi, Rees Garmann, Timothy Chiang, Megan Engel, Michael P. Brenner, Vinothan N. Manoharan
BIOPHYSICAL JOURNAL
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Nabila Tanjeem, Cyril Chomette, Nicholas B. Schade, Serge Ravaine, Etienne Duguet, Mona Treguer-Delapierre, Vinothan N. Manoharan
Summary: A new approach to making plasmonic metamolecules with well-controlled resonances at optical wavelengths is described, utilizing a multi-step colloidal synthesis method to achieve nanometer-scale precision in morphology. Using single-cluster spectroscopy, it is shown that the plasmonic resonances are reproducible from cluster to cluster. By comparing the spectra to theory, the multi-step synthesis approach is demonstrated to control the distances between metallic surfaces with nanometer-scale precision.
MATERIALS HORIZONS
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Yiping Yin, Zhe Wang, Hua Zou
Summary: This study presents a novel method for preparing dimpled polymer-silica nanocomposite particles using interfacial swelling-based seeded polymerization. The optimized conditions allow for a relatively high percentage of dimpled particles to be achieved.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Brenden D. Hoehn, Elizabeth A. Kellstedt, Marc A. Hillmyer
Summary: Porous materials with nanometer-scale pores have important applications as nanoporous membranes. In this study, ABA triblock copolymers were used as precursors to produce nanoporous polymeric membranes (NPMs) in thin film form by degrading the end blocks. Polycyclooctene (PCOE) NPMs with tunable pore sizes were successfully prepared using solvent casting technique. Oxygen plasma etching was employed to improve the surface porosity and hydrophilicity of the membranes. This study provides a straightforward method to produce tough NPMs with high porosity and hydrophilic surface properties.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Vladislav S. Petrovskii, Stepan I. Zholudev, Igor I. Potemkin
Summary: This article investigates the behavior of linear and ring polypeptide chains in aqueous solution and explores the properties of the complexes formed by these chains with oppositely charged surfactants. The results demonstrate that the complexes of linear supercharged unfolded polypeptides and the corresponding surfactants exhibit impressive adhesive properties.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Merve Cevik, Serkan Dikici
Summary: Cardiovascular diseases are a leading cause of death globally, and vascular grafts are a promising treatment option. This study focuses on tissue-engineered vascular grafts (TEVGs) using decellularized parsley stems as a potential biomaterial. The decellularized parsley stems showed suitable properties for TEVGs, providing a suitable environment for human endothelial cells to form a pseudo endothelium. This study showcases the potential of using parsley stems for TEVGs.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Gustavo A. Vasquez-Montoya, Tadej Emersic, Noe Atzin, Antonio Tavera-Vazquez, Ali Mozaffari, Rui Zhang, Orlando Guzman, Alexey Snezhko, Paul F. Nealey, Juan J. de Pablo
Summary: The optical properties of liquid crystals are typically controlled by electric fields. In this study, we investigate the effects of microfluidic flows and acoustic fields on the molecular orientation and optical response of nematic liquid crystals. We identify several previously unknown structures and explain them through calculations and simulations. These findings hold promise for the development of new systems combining sound, flow, and confinement.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Xinjun Wu, Xin Guan, Shushu Chen, Jiangpeng Jia, Chongyi Chen, Jiawei Zhang, Chuanzhuang Zhao
Summary: This research presents a novel shape memory hydrogel with a remodelable permanent shape and programmable cold-induced shape recovery behavior. The hydrogel is prepared using specific treatment methods to achieve shape fixation by heating and shape recovery by cooling. Additionally, deformable devices can be obtained by assembling hydrogel blocks with different concentrations.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Rebecca Hengsbach, Gerhard Fink, Ulrich Simon
Summary: This study examines the properties of DNA functionalized pNipmam microgels and pure pNipmam microgels at different concentrations of sodium chloride and in PBS solutions using temperature dependent H-1-NMR measurements. The results show that DNA modification affects the volume phase transition temperature and the addition of salt and PBS further enhances this effect.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Ningyi Li, Junhong Li, Lijingting Qing, Shicheng Ma, Yao Li, Baohui Li
Summary: This paper investigates the self-assembly behavior of colloids with competing interactions under spherical confinement and finds that different ordered structures can be formed under different sized spherical confinements. Moreover, more perforated structures are formed in smaller spheres.