Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Katarina Gvozden, Sanja Novak Ratajczak, Alberto G. Orellana, Emmanuel Kentzinger, Ulrich Rucker, Jan K. G. Dhont, Cristiano De Michele, Emmanuel Stiakakis
Summary: Stiff DNA fragments can self-assemble into various smectic mesophases in concentrated aqueous solutions by selectively screening blunt-end DNA stacking interactions. The strength of attractions can be controlled to stabilize different phases, demonstrating the potential for precise tuning of DNA blunt-ends as monovalent attractive patches in the assembly of nonconventional DNA-based liquid crystal phases.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Ruimeng Zhang, Zhe Qiang, Muzhou Wang
Summary: This study demonstrates a model system that integrates materials synthesis and self-assembly to achieve controlled periodicity and photonic properties in block copolymer thin films. By using a photo-initiator and UV light exposure, the technique successfully modifies the periodicity in BCP films and allows for in situ modulation of stop band position in photonic gel films for practical applications. This approach provides spatially defined control over structural periodicity and macroscopic properties in self-assembled materials.
ADVANCED FUNCTIONAL MATERIALS
(2021)
Review
Polymer Science
Christian Hils, Ian Manners, Judith Schobel, Holger Schmalz
Summary: Crystallization-driven self-assembly is a powerful method for producing one- and two-dimensional micellar assemblies with controlled length, shape, and corona chemistries, with potential applications in various fields. Patchy micelles with crystalline cores offer advantages in terms of interfacial activity, functionalization, and confinement effects due to their unique corona segmentation structure.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Zuochen Wang, Zhisheng Wang, Jiahui Li, Yufeng Wang
Summary: Colloidal particles with surface patches can self-assemble with high directionality but must be reconfigured using external fields. By synthesizing metallodielectric patchy particles and assembling them under an electric field, we have achieved structures directed by patches yet reconfigurable by the field.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Qilin Guo, Runze Xue, Jian Zhao, Yuxia Zhang, Gea T. van de Kerkhof, Kunyu Zhang, Yuesheng Li, Silvia Vignolini, Dong-Po Song
Summary: The research team synthesized amphiphilic polyester-block-poly(ethylene glycol) bottlebrush block copolymers with polylactic acid or poly(epsilon-caprolactone) as the hydrophobic block, which were used to fabricate biodegradable photonic pigments that can achieve highly saturated and tunable structural colors.
ANGEWANDTE CHEMIE-INTERNATIONAL EDITION
(2022)
Editorial Material
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Kevin G. Yager
Summary: The self-assembly of a triblock bottlebrush polymer at one length scale determines the organization of the self-assembly at a smaller scale, creating a hierarchical unit cell.
NATURE NANOTECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Review
Polymer Science
Lin-Lin Xiao, Xu Zhou, Kan Yue, Zi-Hao Guo
Summary: Conjugated block copolymers (cBCPs) are promising materials with high conductivity and morphological versatility, making the study of their self-assembly behaviors crucial for enhancing device performance.
Article
Polymer Science
Zhaoxu Wang, Qiujun Liu, Qian Liu, Hao Qi, Yuesheng Li, Dong-Po Song
Summary: Ordered porous spheres with a layer of cations on the internal surface of the nanopores are fabricated for effective loading of DNA bearing negative charges through a self-assembly and in situ quaternization process. This strategy provides a general method for efficient loading and encapsulation of DNA.
MACROMOLECULAR RAPID COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Mian Wang, Xi Mao, Jingye Liu, Bite Deng, Shuai Deng, Shaohong Jin, Wang Li, Jiang Gong, Renhua Deng, Jintao Zhu
Summary: In this study, a facile and versatile method was developed to prepare anisotropic mesoporous carbon microparticles (MCMPs) through self-assembly and self-templated direct carbonization. The method allows for in situ growth and decoration of functional species in the continuous phase, resulting in MCMPs with unique structures and shapes. These MCMPs have important applications in various fields.
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
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
You-Jin Kim, Jae-Hyun Kim, In-Seong Jo, David J. Pine, Stefano Sacanna, Gi-Ra Yi
Summary: Colloidal clusters are formed by assembling PS particles onto liquid cores and can be purified through density gradient centrifugation. Hybrid colloidal clusters are obtained when using silica-PS core-shell particles, breaking symmetry in clusters.
JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Jared I. Bowman, Cabell B. Eades, Maria A. Vratsanos, Nathan C. Gianneschi, Brent S. Sumerlin
Summary: Polymerization-induced self-assembly (PISA) is a powerful technique for producing block copolymer nanostructures, and ultrafast photoiniferter PISA can be used to quickly create various nanostructures.
ANGEWANDTE CHEMIE-INTERNATIONAL EDITION
(2023)
Article
Polymer Science
Tengfei Yuan, Yuesheng Li, Dong-Po Song
Summary: Photonic balls with special structures and responsiveness can be obtained through interfacial self-assembly. These photonic balls can change color by altering the pH value and have potential applications.
MACROMOLECULAR RAPID COMMUNICATIONS
(2022)
Article
Polymer Science
Inna O. Lebedeva, Ekaterina B. Zhulina, Oleg V. Borisov
Summary: Research indicates that block copolymers with chemically different bottlebrush blocks can self-assemble into nanostructures resembling micelles in selective solvents. The self-consistent field theoretical approach is utilized to predict the relationship between structural parameters of bottlebrush blocks and properties of micelles, including critical micelle concentration. Theoretical predictions suggest that replacing linear blocks with bottlebrush ones of the same polymerization degrees leads to changes in micellar core size and corona extension, as well as an increase in critical micelle concentration, which are in agreement with computer simulation results.
Article
Polymer Science
Tingting Cui, Xiang Li, Zizhun Wang, Lixin Wu, Haolong Li
Summary: Utilizing a polymer surfactant to control 3D confined assembly in emulsion droplets can lead to block copolymer particles with tunable nanostructures, resulting in the formation of unusual shapes of particles. By systematically studying the morphological formation mechanism, a new surfactant platform has been provided to tune the confined assembly of block copolymers.
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Emilia Benvenuti, Giuseppe Portale, Marco Brucale, Santiago D. Quiroga, Matteo Baldoni, Roderick C. I. MacKenzie, Francesco Mercuri, Sofia Canola, Fabrizia Negri, Nicolo Lago, Marco Buonomo, Andrea Pollesel, Andrea Cester, Massimo Zambianchi, Manuela Melucci, Michele Muccini, Stefano Toffanin
Summary: A study on organic field-effect transistors (OFETs) reveals that the out-of-plane domain size and crystallite orientation in the vertical direction have a direct correlation with charge mobility and source-drain current. Polycrystalline films with a 3D molecular architecture provide the best electrical and optoelectronic characteristics, highlighting the importance of molecular orientational order in achieving optimum device performance.
ADVANCED ELECTRONIC MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Jacopo Pinna, Razieh Mehrabi Koushki, Dnyaneshwar S. Gavhane, Majid Ahmadi, Suhas Mutalik, Muhammad Zohaib, Loredana Protesescu, Bart J. Kooi, Giuseppe Portale, Maria Antonietta Loi
Summary: Nanoscale-level controlled ordering of colloidal quantum dots allows the achievement of outstanding transport properties, paving the way toward a new generation of optoelectronic devices.
ADVANCED MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Thorben Gwydion Jaik, Ulrich Jonas
Summary: This study investigates the thermally dependent absorption behavior of acrylamide derivatives using spectroscopic methods. The results show that the behavior is influenced by the formation of hydrogen bonds between molecules. This finding provides a new theoretical basis for the study of thermo-halochromism.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Jiarul Midya, Thorsten Auth, Gerhard Gompper
Summary: Transport of particles across lipid-bilayer membranes is crucial for cells to interact with their environment. While previous studies have focused on hard particles, this research investigates the wrapping process for deformable particles, specifically vesicles. The findings highlight the importance of particle softness in determining the stability and interaction behavior of wrapped vesicles, providing insights for the design of deformable particles for medical applications.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Lorenzo Di Mario, David Garcia Romero, Han Wang, Eelco K. Tekelenburg, Sander Meems, Teodor Zaharia, Giuseppe Portale, Maria A. Loi
Summary: Transport layers play a crucial role in thin-film solar cells, impacting both efficiency and stability. In this study, highly efficient organic solar cells were achieved using ALD-deposited SnO2 as the electron transport layer. The ALD-SnO2-based devices outperformed those with solution-casted SnO2 nanoparticles and sol-gel ZnO, exhibiting higher efficiency and stability. This improvement is attributed to reduced charge carrier recombination at the ALD-SnO2/active layer interface.
ADVANCED MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Jun Xi, Junke Jiang, Herman Duim, Lijun Chen, Jiaxue You, Giuseppe Portale, Shengzhong (Frank) Liu, Shuxia Tao, Maria Antonietta Loi
Summary: This study unravels the mechanism of solvent-catalyzed 2D-3D structural transformation in metal halide perovskites. It is confirmed that protic solvents facilitate the dissociation of formadinium iodide (FAI) through dynamic hydrogen bonding, and the stronger hydrogen bond between phenylethylamine (PEA) cation and solvents promotes the 2D-3D transformation. In the presence of solvents, grain centers transform into 3D phases and grain boundaries transform into quasi-2D phases. This research elucidates the fundamental mechanism of structural transformation in metal halide perovskites, enabling the fabrication of complex heterostructures.
ADVANCED MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Physics, Multidisciplinary
Marielle Gassner, Segun Goh, Gerhard Gompper, Roland G. Winkler
Summary: This study theoretically and through simulations analyzes the properties of a cognitive, self-propelled, and self-steering particle in the presence of a stationary target, with a focus on the competition between confinement, activity, and steering. The pursuer is modeled as an intelligent active Ornstein-Uhlenbeck particle (iAOUP) confined in a harmonic potential. Universal scaling regimes for the pursuer-target distance are found for the free pursuer, with the Pe'clet number and maneuverability as key factors. Steering leads to a constant mean-distance regime that widens with increasing maneuverability. Confinement strongly impacts propulsion direction and results in scaling behaviors similar to those without confinement but dependent on confinement strength at large Pe'clet numbers.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Xuheng Li, Xiang Li, Chunli Wang, Bo Wang
Summary: This study proposes a novel design of Cu(I) active sites based on metal-organic framework (MOF) to capture OH- produced via Fenton-like processes and re-coordinate oxidized Cu sites, aiming to achieve high catalytic activity and stability. The Cu(I)-MOF exhibits excellent removal efficiency for sulfamethoxazole (SMX), with a high removal kinetic constant of 7.146 min-1. Through combining DFT calculations with experimental observations, it is revealed that the Cu of Cu(I)-MOF exhibits a lower d-band center, enabling efficient activation of H2O2 and spontaneous capturing of OH- to form Cu-MOF, which can be reorganized into Cu(I)-MOF through molecular regulation for recycle. This research demonstrates a promising Fenton-like approach for solving the trade-off between catalytic activity and stability and provides new insights into the design and synthesis of efficient MOF-based catalysts for water treatment.
JOURNAL OF COLLOID AND INTERFACE SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Xiaoyan Liu, Thorsten Auth, Nabanita Hazra, Morten Frend Ebbesen, Jonathan Brewer, Gerhard Gompper, Jerome J. Crassous, Emma Sparr
Summary: This paper investigates how the wrapping of colloidal particles by lipid membranes can be controlled by various factors such as particle shape, particle-membrane adhesion energy, membrane phase behavior, and membrane-bending rigidity. The study shows that ellipsoidal microgel particles are more likely to form deep-wrapped states compared to spherical particles. The findings have implications for the design of novel biomaterials and therapeutic applications involving nanoparticle-membrane interactions.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2023)
Article
Physics, Multidisciplinary
Segun Goh, Roland G. Winkler, Gerhard Gompper
Summary: This study investigates the pursuit behavior of pursuer-target pairs with implicit sensing mechanism and limited hydrodynamic steering abilities of the pursuer. The findings suggest that stable cooperatively moving states can be achieved depending on the nature of the microswimmer propulsion and the velocity-adaptation scheme.
COMMUNICATIONS PHYSICS
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Martha Judith Rivera Medina, Lorenzo Di Mario, Simon Kahmann, Jun Xi, Giuseppe Portale, Giovanni Bongiovanni, Andrea Mura, Juan Carlos Alonso Huitron, Maria Antonietta Loi
Summary: We demonstrate blue LEDs with high color purity and excellent performance based on quasi-2D perovskites. The inclusion of isopropylammonium as an additive suppresses the formation of bulk-like phases and improves the performance of the LEDs. The study of excitation dynamics reveals hindered energy transfer, resulting in a narrow distribution of quantum well sizes and a high photoluminescence quantum yield.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Priyanka Iyer, Gerhard Gompper, Dmitry A. Fedosov
Summary: Recent advances in micro- and nano-technologies have made it possible to construct complex active systems using biological and synthetic materials. This study investigates the behavior of active vesicles, which are composed of a membrane enclosing self-propelled particles and exhibit characteristics similar to biological cells. The adhesion of self-propelled particles to the membrane significantly influences the shape and dynamics of the vesicles, providing an additional parameter for controlling their behavior.
Article
Physics, Multidisciplinary
Joscha Mecke, Yongxiang Gao, Carlos A. Ramirez Medina, Dirk G. A. L. Aarts, Gerhard Gompper, Marisol Ripoll
Summary: This article reports the simultaneous occurrence and relation of two seemingly separate phenomena: active turbulence and odd viscosity, in a chiral active fluid composed of standing and spinning colloidal rods and in simulations for synchronously rotating hard discs in a hydrodynamic explicit solvent.
COMMUNICATIONS PHYSICS
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Lijun Chen, Eelco Kinsa Tekelenburg, Kushagra Gahlot, Matteo Pitaro, Jun Xi, Alessia Lasorsa, Giovanna Feraco, Loredana Protesescu, Patrick C. A. van der Wel, Giuseppe Portale, Petra Rudolf, Christoph J. Brabec, Maria Antonietta Loi
Summary: This study successfully prepared lead-tin perovskite films with a gradient structure using scalable techniques, and improved the surface traps and crystallization by adding tin selenide. The fabricated devices exhibited high power conversion efficiency and stability, and were able to resist environmental factors.
ENERGY & ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Wei Li, Shaohua Zhang, Sandra Kleuskens, Giuseppe Portale, Hans Engelkamp, Peter C. M. Christianen, Daniela A. Wilson
Summary: This work presents the engineering of compartment network using a single polymer vesicle that can undergo stress-dependent deformation, such as deflation and tubulation. The created network of stomatocytes with tubular arms and connected small stomatocytes by tubules has not been accessed by synthetic nanocontainers before. The findings provide new insights into the shape adaptation and transformation of synthetic nanocontainers.
