Beyond Molecules: Self-assembly of Mesoscopic and Macroscopic Components

Overview

Journal Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A

Specialty Science

Date 2002 Apr 18

PMID 11959929

Citations 171

Authors

George M Whitesides

Mila Boncheva

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Self-assembly is a process in which components, either separate or linked, spontaneously form ordered aggregates. Self-assembly can occur with components having sizes from the molecular to the macroscopic, provided that appropriate conditions are met. Although much of the work in self-assembly has focused on molecular components, many of the most interesting applications of self-assembling processes can be found at larger sizes (nanometers to micrometers). These larger systems also offer a level of control over the characteristics of the components and over the interactions among them that makes fundamental investigations especially tractable.

Citing Articles

Self-assembly by anti-repellent structures for programming particles with momentum.

Bae J, Yoon J, Oh S, Kim K, Kim H, Hur K Nat Commun. 2024; 15(1):10794.

PMID: 39738002 PMC: 11685817. DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-54976-7.

Human Defensins: Structure, Function, and Potential as Therapeutic Antimicrobial Agents with Highlights Against SARS CoV-2.

Nagib M, Sayed A, Korany A, Abdelkader K, Shari F, Mackay W Probiotics Antimicrob Proteins. 2024; .

PMID: 39693007 DOI: 10.1007/s12602-024-10436-8.

Graphene/chitosan nanoreactors for ultrafast and precise recovery and catalytic conversion of gold from electronic waste.

Yang K, Nikolaev K, Li X, Ivanov A, Bong J, Erofeev I Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2024; 121(42):e2414449121.

PMID: 39374385 PMC: 11494358. DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2414449121.

Revealing nanoscale structure and interfaces of protein and polymer condensates cryo-electron microscopy.

Rizvi A, Favetta B, Jaber N, Lee Y, Jiang J, Idris N Nanoscale. 2024; 16(35):16706-16717.

PMID: 39171763 PMC: 11392623. DOI: 10.1039/d4nr01877j.

Driving macro-scale transformations in three-dimensional-printed biopolymers through controlled induction of molecular anisotropy at the nanoscale.

Mogas-Soldevila L, Duro-Royo J, Lizardo D, Hollyer G, Settens C, Cox J Interface Focus. 2024; 14(3):20230077.

PMID: 39081628 PMC: 11285838. DOI: 10.1098/rsfs.2023.0077.

References

Sun , Murray , Weller , Folks , Moser . Monodisperse FePt nanoparticles and ferromagnetic FePt nanocrystal superlattices. Science. 2000; 287(5460):1989-92. DOI: 10.1126/science.287.5460.1989. View

Jackman , Brittain , Adams , Prentiss , Whitesides . Design and fabrication of topologically complex, three-dimensional microstructures . Science. 1998; 280(5372):2089-91. DOI: 10.1126/science.280.5372.2089. View

Schon J, Meng H, Bao Z . Self-assembled monolayer organic field-effect transistors. Nature. 2001; 413(6857):713-6. DOI: 10.1038/35099520. View

Schmidt-Mende L, Fechtenkotter A, Mullen K, Moons E, Friend R, Mackenzie J . Self-organized discotic liquid crystals for high-efficiency organic photovoltaics. Science. 2001; 293(5532):1119-22. DOI: 10.1126/science.293.5532.1119. View

Xia Y, Rogers J, Paul K, Whitesides G . Unconventional Methods for Fabricating and Patterning Nanostructures. Chem Rev. 2002; 99(7):1823-1848. DOI: 10.1021/cr980002q. View

Jager E, Smela E, Inganas O . Microfabricating conjugated polymer actuators. Science. 2000; 290(5496):1540-5. DOI: 10.1126/science.290.5496.1540. View

Gracias , Tien , Breen , Hsu , Whitesides . Forming electrical networks in three dimensions by self-assembly. Science. 2000; 289(5482):1170-2. DOI: 10.1126/science.289.5482.1170. View

Clark T, Ferrigno R, Tien J, Paul K, Whitesides G . Template-directed self-assembly of 10-microm-sized hexagonal plates. J Am Chem Soc. 2002; 124(19):5419-26. DOI: 10.1021/ja020056o. View

Klimov V, Mikhailovsky A, Xu S, Malko A, Hollingsworth J, Leatherdale C . Optical gain and stimulated emission in nanocrystal quantum dots. Science. 2000; 290(5490):314-7. DOI: 10.1126/science.290.5490.314. View

10.

Bowden , Terfort , Carbeck , Whitesides . Self-Assembly of Mesoscale Objects into Ordered Two-Dimensional Arrays. Science. 1997; 276(5310):233-5. DOI: 10.1126/science.276.5310.233. View

11.

Lieber C . The incredible shrinking circuit. Sci Am. 2001; 285(3):58-64. DOI: 10.1038/scientificamerican0901-58. View

12.

OLIVER , Bowden , Whitesides . Self-Assembly of Hexagonal Rod Arrays Based on Capillary Forces. J Colloid Interface Sci. 2000; 224(2):425-428. DOI: 10.1006/jcis.1999.6695. View

13.

Reed M, Tour J . Computing with molecules. Sci Am. 2000; 282(6):86-93. DOI: 10.1038/scientificamerican0600-86. View

14.

Jacobs H, Tao A, Schwartz A, Gracias D, Whitesides G . Fabrication of a cylindrical display by patterned assembly. Science. 2002; 296(5566):323-5. DOI: 10.1126/science.1069153. View

15.

De Rosa C , Park , Thomas , LOTZ . Microdomain patterns from directional eutectic solidification and epitaxy. Nature. 2000; 405(6785):433-7. DOI: 10.1038/35013018. View

16.

Frydman J . Folding of newly translated proteins in vivo: the role of molecular chaperones. Annu Rev Biochem. 2001; 70:603-47. DOI: 10.1146/annurev.biochem.70.1.603. View

17.

Yin Y, Lu Y, Gates B, Xia Y . Template-assisted self-assembly: a practical route to complex aggregates of monodispersed colloids with well-defined sizes, shapes, and structures. J Am Chem Soc. 2001; 123(36):8718-29. DOI: 10.1021/ja011048v. View

18.

GRZYBOWSKI , Stone , Whitesides . Dynamic self-assembly of magnetized, millimetre-sized objects rotating at a liquid-air interface. Nature. 2000; 405(6790):1033-6. DOI: 10.1038/35016528. View

19.

Whitesides G . The once and future nanomachine. Sci Am. 2001; 285(3):78-83. DOI: 10.1038/scientificamerican0901-78. View

20.

Sirringhaus H, Kawase T, Friend R, Shimoda T, Inbasekaran M, Wu W . High-resolution inkjet printing of all-polymer transistor circuits. Science. 2000; 290(5499):2123-6. DOI: 10.1126/science.290.5499.2123. View