Friction-directed self-assembly of Janus lithographic microgels into anisotropic 2D structures
Yadu Nath Vakkipurath Kodakkadan1, Charlie Maslen1, Petr Cigler2
1University of Chemistry and Technology Prague, Faculty of Chemical Engineering, Technicka 5, 166 28 Prague 6, Czech Republic. ivan.rehor@vscht.cz.
Journal of Materials Chemistry. B
|June 2, 2021
Summary
Researchers created ordered 2D structures using self-assembling hydrogel particles (microgels). These microgels self-orient due to differing friction on each half, forming ordered patterns on an inclined plane.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Soft Matter Physics
- Chemical Engineering
Background:
- Ordered structures are crucial for advanced materials.
- Self-assembly offers a scalable route to complex architectures.
- Controlling particle orientation during assembly is challenging.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a method for creating ordered 2D structures from anisotropic microgels.
- To investigate the self-orientation mechanism of microgels driven by differential friction.
- To achieve dense packing and long-range order in microgel assemblies.
Main Methods:
- Fabrication of polygonal microgel platelets using scalable lithography.
- Suspension of anisotropic, two-component microgels in an aqueous environment.
- Sedimentation and sliding of microgels on an inclined plane to induce self-orientation.
Main Results:
- Microgel platelets self-oriented based on their differential frictional properties.
- Self-oriented microgels formed densely packed 2D structures at the bottom of the inclined plane.
- Achieved both translational and orientational order in the assembled structures.
Conclusions:
- The presented method enables the creation of ordered 2D materials from self-assembling anisotropic microgels.
- Differential friction is an effective mechanism for controlling microgel orientation during sedimentation.
- This approach offers a scalable and efficient route to ordered soft matter architectures.
