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DNA self-organization controls valence in programmable colloid design.

Angus McMullen1, Sascha Hilgenfeldt2, Jasna Brujic3

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Colloidal particles can self-assemble into complex structures by controlling their bonding capacity, or valence. Researchers demonstrated how DNA linkers on microdroplets program predictable valence for controlled self-organization.

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Area of Science:

  • Colloidal science
  • Materials science
  • Biophysics

Background:

  • Atoms form molecules, and colloids can self-organize into structures.
  • Controlling interparticle bonds (valence) is key for complex colloidal assembly.
  • Existing methods use solid patchy particles for directed assembly.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To demonstrate how nanoscale molecular ordering programs microscale colloidal assembly.
  • To investigate the relationship between linker number and self-organized structure.
  • To thermodynamically understand and predict colloidal self-organization.

Main Methods:

  • Experimentally covering isotropic microdroplets with mobile DNA linkers.
  • Observing spontaneous and reversible self-organization of DNA into binding patches.
  • Deriving a free energy functional to model droplet-droplet adhesion and patch formation.

Main Results:

  • Microdroplets with N DNA linkers self-organized into Z(N) binding patches, exhibiting predictable valence.
  • The derived free energy functional accurately predicted patch size, molecular organization, and valence transitions.
  • Microscopic self-organization can be programmed by linker properties and concentration.

Conclusions:

  • Nanoscale molecular self-organization can program the structure of microscale colloidal assemblies.
  • This approach offers a versatile method for designing complex structures using mobile linkers.
  • Findings are applicable to diverse systems like liposomes and cell-cell adhesion.