Control of Colloidal Crystal Growth by External Fields

2005 ◽  
Vol 901 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elisabeth von Rhein ◽  
Andreas Bielawny ◽  
Siegmund Greulich-Weber
Keyword(s):  
Crystal Growth ◽  
Self Assembly ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Colloidal Crystal ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Particle Diffusion ◽  
Bulk Crystals ◽  
Centrifugal Field ◽  
Sonic Wave ◽  
Synthetic Opals

AbstractSynthetic opals serve as templates for the most promising three-dimensional photonic crystals, so-called inverted opals. The time consuming growth of artificial opals by self-assembly of monodisperse sub-micron spheres made of silica or organic materials resulting in fcc and hcp colloidal crystals usually yields in limited crystal qualities. The large scale fabrication and thus their application in photonics suffer from the reproducible growth of defect-free extended bulk crystals. In this paper we propose a sonic wave supported fast colloidal crystal growth in a centrifugal field. White noise acoustic irradiation is thought to realize an artificial temperature allowing particle diffusion during crystal growth.

Modelling the dynamics of a minimal protocell container

2005 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 81-91 ◽  
Author(s):  
Martin Nilsson Jacobi ◽  
Steen Rasmussen ◽  
Kolbjørn Tunstrøm
Keyword(s):  
Self Assembly ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Lattice Gas ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Initial Distribution ◽  
Energy Potential ◽  
Time Dynamics ◽  
Amphiphilic Molecules ◽  
Head Groups ◽  
Simplifying Assumptions

This paper is a discussion on how reaction kinetics and three-dimensional (3D) lattice simulations can be used to elucidate the dynamical properties of micelles as a possible minimal protocell container. We start with a general discussion on the role of molecular self-assembly in prebiotic and contemporary biological systems. A simple reaction kinetic model of a micellation process of amphiphilic molecules in water is then presented and solved analytically. Amphiphilic molecules are polymers with hydrophobic (water-fearing), e.g. hydrocarbon tail groups, and hydrophilic (water-loving) head groups, e.g. fatty acids. By making a few simplifying assumptions an analytical expression for the size distribution of the resulting micelles can be derived. The main part of the paper presents and discusses a lattice gas technique for a more detailed 3D simulation of molecular self-assembly of amphiphilic polymers in aqueous environments. Water molecules, hydrocarbon tail groups and hydrophilic head groups are explicitly represented on a three-dimensional discrete lattice. Molecules move on the lattice proportional to their continuous momentum. Collision rules preserve momentum and kinetic energy. Potential energy from molecular interactions are also included explicitly. The non-trivial thermodynamics of large-scale and long-time dynamics are studied. In this paper we specifically demonstrate how, from a random initial distribution, micelles are formed and grow until they destabilize and can divide. Eventually a steady state of growing and dividing micelles is formed. Towards the end of the paper we discuss the relevance of the presented results to the design of a minimal artificial protocell.

scholarly journals 3D DNA structural barcode copying and random access

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Filip Bošković ◽  
Alexander Ohmann ◽  
Ulrich F. Keyser ◽  
Kaikai Chen
Keyword(s):  
Data Storage ◽  
Single Molecule ◽  
Self Assembly ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Random Access ◽  
Scale Production ◽  
Digital Information ◽  
Dna Nanostructures ◽  
Large Scale Production

AbstractThree-dimensional (3D) DNA nanostructures built via DNA self-assembly have established recent applications in multiplexed biosensing and storing digital information. However, a key challenge is that 3D DNA structures are not easily copied which is of vital importance for their large-scale production and for access to desired molecules by target-specific amplification. Here, we build 3D DNA structural barcodes and demonstrate the copying and random access of the barcodes from a library of molecules using a modified polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The 3D barcodes were assembled by annealing a single-stranded DNA scaffold with complementary short oligonucleotides containing 3D protrusions at defined locations. DNA nicks in these structures are ligated to facilitate barcode copying using PCR. To randomly access a target from a library of barcodes, we employ a non-complementary end in the DNA construct that serves as a barcode-specific primer template. Readout of the 3D DNA structural barcodes was performed with nanopore measurements. Our study provides a roadmap for convenient production of large quantities of self-assembled 3D DNA nanostructures. In addition, this strategy offers access to specific targets, a crucial capability for multiplexed single-molecule sensing and for DNA data storage.

scholarly journals Extra Surfactant-Assisted Self-Assembly of Highly Ordered Monolayers of BaTiO3 Nanocubes at the Air—Water Interface

Nanomaterials ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (9) ◽  
pp. 739 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hiroki Itasaka ◽  
Ken-Ichi Mimura ◽  
Kazumi Kato
Keyword(s):  
Self Assembly ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Water Interface ◽  
Compression Pressure ◽  
Air Water Interface ◽  
Out Of Plane ◽  
Key Factor ◽  
Evaporation Induced Self Assembly ◽  
20 Nm

Assembly of nanocrystals into ordered two- or three-dimensional arrays is an essential technology to achieve their application in novel functional devices. Among a variety of assembly techniques, evaporation-induced self-assembly (EISA) is one of the prospective approaches because of its simplicity. Although EISA has shown its potential to form highly ordered nanocrystal arrays, the formation of uniform nanocrystal arrays over large areas remains a challenging subject. Here, we introduce a new EISA method and demonstrate the formation of large-scale highly ordered monolayers of barium titanate (BaTiO3, BT) nanocubes at the air-water interface. In our method, the addition of an extra surfactant to a water surface assists the EISA of BT nanocubes with a size of 15–20 nm into a highly ordered arrangement. We reveal that the compression pressure exerted by the extra surfactant on BT nanocubes during the solvent evaporation is a key factor in the self-assembly in our method. The BT nanocube monolayers transferred to substrates have sizes up to the millimeter scale and a high out-of-plane crystal orientation, containing almost no microcracks and voids.

In Situ Optical Microspectroscopy Monitoring of Binary Colloidal Crystal Growth Dynamics via Evaporation-Induced Cooperative Self-Assembly

Langmuir ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 28 (9) ◽  
pp. 4160-4167 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lei Yang ◽  
Jinze Wang ◽  
Yiduo Zhang ◽  
Yanhong Luo ◽  
Dongmei Li ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Crystal Growth ◽  
Self Assembly ◽  
Colloidal Crystal ◽  
Growth Dynamics

scholarly journals Large-scale, power-efficient Au/VO2 active metasurfaces for ultrafast optical modulation

Nanophotonics ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 909-918
Author(s):  
Tongtong Kang ◽  
Zongwei Ma ◽  
Jun Qin ◽  
Zheng Peng ◽  
Weihao Yang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Self Assembly ◽  
Power Efficiency ◽  
High Performance ◽  
Optical Switching ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Colloidal Crystal ◽  
Resonance Wavelength ◽  
Optical Modulation ◽  
Power Efficient ◽  
Ultrafast Optical

AbstractActive metasurfaces, in which the optical property of a metasurface device can be controlled by external stimuli, have attracted great research interest recently. For optical switching and modulation applications, high-performance active metasurfaces need to show high transparency, high power efficiency, as well as ultrafast switching and large-scale fabrication capability. This paper reports Au/VO2-based active metasurfaces meeting the requirements above. Centimeter-scale Au/VO2 metasurfaces are fabricated by polystyrene sphere colloidal crystal self-assembly. The devices show optical modulation on-off ratio up to 12.7 dB and insertion loss down to 3.3 dB at 2200 nm wavelength in the static heating experiment, and ΔT/T of 10% in ultrafast pump-probe experiments. In particular, by judiciously aligning the surface plasmon resonance wavelength to the pump wavelength of the femtosecond laser, the enhanced electric field at 800 nm is capable to switch off the extraordinary optical transmission effect at 2200 nm in 100 fs time scale. Compared to VO2 thin-film samples, the devices also show 50% power reduction for all-optical modulation. Our work provides a practical way to fabricate large-scale and power-efficient active metasurfaces for ultrafast optical modulation.

scholarly journals Elastic Three-Dimensional Graphene Sponge Fabricated by the Liquid Crystals of Controlled Large Graphene Oxide Sheets

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Qiuli Wei ◽  
Anaerguli Wufuer ◽  
Meisong Wang ◽  
Yuanyuan Wang ◽  
Liyi Dai
Keyword(s):  
Graphene Oxide ◽  
Liquid Crystals ◽  
Self Assembly ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
High Porosity ◽  
Graphene Sponge ◽  
New Strategy ◽  
Facile Fabrication ◽  
Graphene Oxide Sheets

Three-dimensional graphene (3DG) sponge has attracted increasing attention because it combines the unique properties of cellular materials and the excellent performance of graphene. The preparation of 3DG sponge depends mainly on the self-assembly of graphene oxide sheets. Here, we demonstrate facile fabrication of 3DG sponge with a large-scale and ordered porous structure, exploiting the liquid crystals of large graphene oxide (LGO) and ultralarge graphene oxide (ULGO) sheets. The resulting materials exhibit a low density, high porosity and elasticity. Our work explores a new strategy for organizing the ordered alignment of controlled large GO sheets and exploring the relationship between the microstructures and mechanical properties of 3DG sponge.

scholarly journals Superior adsorption of 3D nanoporous architectures for Ni(ii) ions adsorption using polyvinyl alcohol as cross-linking agent and adsorption conveyor

RSC Advances ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (15) ◽  
pp. 7899-7903 ◽  
Author(s):  
Haibo Wang ◽  
Wei Wang ◽  
Yufen Zhao ◽  
Zhiwei Xu ◽  
Lei Chen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Carbon Nanotubes ◽  
Polyvinyl Alcohol ◽  
Self Assembly ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Cross Linking ◽  
Cost Approach ◽  
Assembly Method

In this study, we report a large-scale and low cost approach for the synthesis of three-dimensional (3D) polyvinyl alcohol/carbon nanotubes nanoporous architecture using self-assembly method.

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