Review
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Xiyan Li, Xiaowang Liu, Xiaogang Liu
Summary: The review provides an overview of interparticle interactions governing self-assembly in a liquid phase, emphasizing the impact of spatial positions of nanoparticles on the properties of assembled materials, and discussing future research directions and challenges in controlling self-assembly.
CHEMICAL SOCIETY REVIEWS
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Angelica Niazov-Elkan, Haim Weissman, Eyal Shimoni, XiaoMeng Sui, Yishay Feldman, H. Daniel Wagner, Boris Rybtchinski
Summary: The development of biodegradable plastic materials is crucial in addressing environmental and health issues associated with plastic waste accumulation. A biodegradable composite material based on hydroxyethyl cellulose polymer and tyrosine nanocrystals has been successfully fabricated, demonstrating enhanced strength and ductility. The assembly pattern and strong interactions between components contribute to this emergent behavior. Water-resistant biodegradable composites were also created with a hydrophobic polycaprolactone protection layer.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Shurui Yuan, Xiankun Lin, Qiang He
Summary: The study focuses on the reconfigurable assembly of colloidal motors, which is driven and modulated by chemical reactions and external fields. It discusses the adaptive reconfiguration behaviors and mechanisms, aiming to develop interactive soft matter materials and systems with adaptation and interactive functions comparable to natural systems in the future.
JOURNAL OF COLLOID AND INTERFACE SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Yu-Dong Yang, Xu-Lang Chen, Jonathan L. Sessler, Han-Yuan Gong
Summary: This study introduces a three-component self-assembly system where the individual components do not interact with each other, but combine to form a new supramolecular structure during crystallization. This emergent behavior is characterized by the formation of an all-hydrocarbon capsule containing iodine, showcasing unique properties beyond simple sum-of-the-components analysis.
JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY
(2021)
Review
Chemistry, Physical
Xiao Li, Zhili Lu, Tie Wang
Summary: This study focuses on the unique fluorescence characteristics of superstructures formed by self-assembly of semiconductor nanoparticles, as well as the emergent behaviors observed in assemblies. It discusses the hierarchy and specialization of function in superstructures, and presents methodology for seeking emergent behaviors in fluorescence.
Article
Robotics
Martin Jilek, Katerina Stranska, Michael Somr, Miroslav Kulich, Jan Zeman, Libor Preucil
Summary: The emerging field of passive macro-scale tile-based self-assembly (TBSA) shows promise in enabling effective manufacturing processes. A framework is proposed that utilizes magnetically-bonded tiles to increase stability as the assembly grows. The proposed approach has self-stabilizing characteristics and allows for the construction of assemblies containing hundreds of tiles.
IEEE ROBOTICS AND AUTOMATION LETTERS
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Wenzheng Shi, Kevin S. Cannon, Brandy N. Curtis, Christopher Edelmaier, Amy S. Gladfelter, Ehssan Nazockdast
Summary: The ability of cells to sense and respond to geometric cues remains poorly understood, especially how cells sense and communicate their shape. Septins, GTP-binding proteins, localize to sites of micrometer-scale membrane curvature, but it is unknown how these steps lead to curvature sensing. Experimental and modeling results indicate that curvature preference of septins is not absolute but rather sensitive to the combinations of membrane curvatures present in a reaction. This study provides insight into the emergent property of curvature sensing and how it can be modulated by changing physicochemical and geometric parameters involved in septin assembly.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Chengxiang He, Shaokun Jiang, Chunying Zhu, Youguang Ma, Taotao Fu
Summary: This article investigates the self-assembly behavior of droplet swarms and its feedback effect on droplet generation in a step-emulsification microdevice using a high-speed camera. The study reveals that the self-assembly of droplet swarms is controlled by various factors, and weakening the feedback is beneficial for improving the monodispersity of droplets.
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Gregory S. Doerk, Aaron Stein, Suwon Bae, Marcus M. Noack, Masafumi Fukuto, Kevin G. Yager
Summary: In this study, machine-guided discovery of emergent morphologies from a cylinder/lamellae block copolymer blend directed by a chemical grating template was demonstrated without direct human intervention on a synchrotron x-ray scattering beamline. This approach enables mapping of the morphology-template phase space in less time than manual characterization, and highlights regions that warrant further investigation. The results reveal localized, template-directed partitioning of coexisting lamella- and cylinder-like subdomains at the template period length scale, resulting in previously unknown morphologies such as aligned alternating subdomains, bilayers, or a ladder morphology. This work emphasizes the crucial role that autonomous characterization can play in advancing the paradigm of directed self-assembly (DSA).
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Shiqing Deng, Changsong Xu, Shaobo Cheng, Wenbin Wang, Jing Zhu, Yimei Zhu, Jun Chen
Summary: This study reports a self-assembled multiferroic heterostructure, where the spontaneous organization of ferroelectric polarization and the formation mechanism of the structure are investigated using atomic-scale electron microscopy and theoretical calculations. The results suggest the possibilities of generating and controlling multiferroic self-assembled systems, which may provide a basis for engineering novel materials with emergent properties.
ADVANCED FUNCTIONAL MATERIALS
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Md Mahmudur Rahman, Stuart J. Williams
Summary: The study explores the collective behavior of colloidal particles in a non-equilibrium system, with a focus on the influence of external and interparticle forces, including hydrodynamic forces which are often overlooked. Experiment and simulation results show that the particles interact hydrodynamically in a rotating cylindrical cell, forming different structures and evolving based on gravity forces. The findings suggest that the rotation scheme plays a crucial role in determining the aggregation and motion of colloidal particles.
JOURNAL OF COLLOID AND INTERFACE SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Fei Yu, R. Paxton Thedford, Konrad R. Hedderick, Guillaume Freychet, Mikhail Zhernenkov, Lara A. Estroff, Katja C. Nowack, Sol M. Gruner, Ulrich B. Wiesner
Summary: Recent developments in quantum materials have shown promise in revolutionizing energy and information technologies. By utilizing block copolymers and niobia sol precursors, we successfully prepared mesoporous niobium carbonitride thin film superconductors through a scalable solution processing approach. This cost-effective and scalable method holds great potential for integration into existing microelectronics processing, combining the capabilities of soft matter self-assembly with quantum materials.
ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Florian M. Gartner, Isabella R. Graf, Erwin Frey
Summary: The time complexity of nonequilibrium self-assembly processes is characterized and different assembly scenarios are identified with distinct degrees of complexity. Optimal control strategies are determined. An efficient irreversible scheme for artificial self-assembly of nanostructures is proposed.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2022)
Article
Physics, Fluids & Plasmas
Deping Huang, Yunfei Du, Huijun Jiang, Zhonghuai Hou
Summary: Confinement has significant effects on the collective dynamics of active systems. In a modeled active system in circular confinement, biased active particles can spontaneously form a spiral vortex near the boundary with nonmonotonic dependencies on the biased angle and the strength of the anisotropic interaction. This work provides insights into dynamic behaviors and designing ordered collective behaviors.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Violette Chiara, Patrick Arrufat, Raphael Jeanson
Summary: Synchronized oscillations are a common phenomenon in all living systems, involving delay response and communication among entities. In social spiders, individuals synchronize their movements to catch large prey. An experimental mechanistic model reveals that the emergence of oscillations involves a variable refractory period, depending on the intensity of prey and conspecific signals. The benefits of synchronization outweigh the cost of delayed immobility phases.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2022)
