Inverse Design of Self-Assembling Diamond Photonic Lattices from Anisotropic Colloidal Clusters

Ma, Yutao; Aulicino, Joseph C.; Ferguson, Andrew L.

doi:10.1021/acs.jpcb.0c08723

Cited by 10 publications

(11 citation statements)

References 70 publications

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“…An alternative approach to making tetrahedral patchy particles bind in the required configuration is to synthesize triangular patches consisting of three dots (Figure a). This idea has been explored in computer simulations − but has not been realized experimentally. Because patches can bind only with 1, 2, or 3 dots, the binding is quantized.…”

Section: Results and Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Colloidal Particles with Triangular Patches

Gales

Shen

et al. 2021

Langmuir

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Self-assembling colloidal particles into clathrate hydrates requires the particles to have tetrahedral bonds in the eclipsed conformation. It has been suggested that colloidal particles with eclipsed triangular-shaped patches can form clusters in the eclipsed conformation that leads to colloidal clathrate hydrates. However, in experiments, patches have been limited to circular shapes due to surface energy minimization. Here, we extend the particle synthesis strategy and show that colloidal particles with triangular patches can be readily fabricated by controlling the viscosity of the liquid oil droplets during a colloidal fusion process. The position, orientation, curvature, shape, and size of the patches are all exclusively determined by the intrinsic symmetry of the colloidal clusters, resulting in dipatch particles with eclipsed patches and tetrahedral patchy particles with patch vertices pointing toward each other. Patch curvature can be controlled by tuning the viscosity of the oil droplets and using different surfactants. Using strain-promoted azide−alkyne cycloaddition, single-stranded DNA can be selectively functionalized on the patches. However, after annealing these particles, dipatch particles form chains because the patches are too small to form clathrate hydrates. Under certain conditions, tetrahedral triangular patchy particles should prefer the eclipsed conformation, as it maximizes DNA hybridization. However, we observe random aggregates, which result from having triangular patches that are too big. We estimate that tetrahedral patchy particles that can crystallize need to be less than 1 μm in diameter.

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Section: Results and Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Colloidal Particles with Triangular Patches

Gales

Shen

et al. 2021

Langmuir

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“…Since hybrid clusters are heavier than PS particles, they can be easily purified by density gradient centrifugation and further by isopycnic centrifugation if necessary. Uniform asymmetric colloidal clusters could be key building blocks for chiral photonic structures − and direct assembly of diamond photonic structures , or self-propelling swimmers for non-equilibrium superstructures. , …”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Patchy Colloidal Clusters with Broken Symmetry

Kim

et al. 2021

J. Am. Chem. Soc.

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Colloidal clusters are prepared by assembling positively charged cross-linked polystyrene (PS) particles onto negatively charged liquid cores of swollen polymer particles. PS particles at the interface of the liquid core are closely packed around the core due to interfacial wetting. Then, by evaporating solvent in the liquid cores, polymers in the cores are solidified and the clusters are cemented. As the swelling ratio of PS cores increases, cores at the center of colloidal clusters are exposed, forming patchy colloidal clusters. Finally, by density gradient centrifugation, high-purity symmetric colloidal clusters are obtained. When silica−PS core−shell particles are swollen and serve as the liquid cores, hybrid colloidal clusters are obtained in which each silica nanoparticle is relocated to the liquid core interface during the swelling− deswelling process breaking symmetry in colloidal clusters as the silica nanoparticle in the core is comparable in size with the PS particle in the shell. The configuration of colloidal clusters is determined once the number of particles around the liquid core is given, which depends on the size ratio of the liquid core and shell particle. Since hybrid clusters are heavier than PS particles, they can be purified using centrifugation.

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“…9–11,17–34 Considerably less work has focused on the inverse design of anisotropic energetic interactions, including patchy particles. 35–43 Many of those methods rely on high specificity between patchy interactions, which can result in complicated, or even nonphysical, interaction matrices. 37,44…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%