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Updated: Dec 21, 2025

Patterning of Microorganisms and Microparticles through Sequential Capillarity-assisted Assembly
Published on: November 4, 2021
Self-assembly of isotropic colloids into colloidal strings, Bernal spiral-like, and tubular clusters
Yong Guo1, Bas G P van Ravensteijn, Willem K Kegel
1School of Medicine, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou 311121, People's Republic of China. yongguo1987@gmail.com.
Abstract:
We report the (spontaneous) formation of colloidal strings, Bernal spiral-like, and tubular clusters comprising spherical, isotropically functionalized colloidal particles in an aqueous environment. The formation of colloidal strings and Bernal spiral-like clusters is guided by an interplay between short-ranged hydrophobic attraction and relatively longer-ranged electrostatic repulsion acting between the colloids. When a dispersion of these colloids is densified via centrifugation, well-defined tubular aggregates were observed.
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