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Non-equilibrium anisotropic colloidal single crystal growth with DNA
Soyoung E Seo1,2, Martin Girard3,4, Monica Olvera de la Cruz5,6,7,8
1Department of Chemistry, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA.
Nature Communications
|November 3, 2018
Summary
DNA-mediated crystallization produced highly anisotropic hexagonal prism microcrystals. This method enables the creation of novel non-equilibrium crystal shapes for advanced applications in optics and photocatalysis.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Nanotechnology
- Crystallography
Background:
- Anisotropic colloidal crystals offer unique optical and electronic properties.
- Previous experimental studies were limited to isotropic colloidal crystal habits.
Purpose of the Study:
- To demonstrate DNA-mediated crystallization of nanoparticles into anisotropic hexagonal prism microcrystals.
- To investigate the formation of non-equilibrium crystal shapes and their underlying mechanisms.
Main Methods:
- Utilized DNA-mediated self-assembly of two nanoparticle types with different hydrodynamic radii.
- Employed simulations and theoretical analysis to understand crystal growth dynamics.
Main Results:
- Achieved highly anisotropic hexagonal prism microcrystals with AB2 crystallographic symmetry.
- Identified that DNA directs assembly into non-equilibrium shapes bounded by high-surface-energy facets.
- Discovered that energy barriers on the AB2(10-bar10) facet significantly slow its growth rate.
Conclusions:
- Reported a novel hexagonal colloidal crystal habit.
- Introduced a general mechanism for growing non-equilibrium crystal shapes via plane multiplicity.
- This advance facilitates the design of colloidal crystals for optics and photocatalysis.
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