Formation and fluctuation of two-dimensional dodecagonal quasicrystals

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Condensed Matter Physics
• Computational Chemistry

Background:

• Two-dimensional quasicrystals exhibit unique properties due to their non-periodic ordered structures.
• Patchy particles offer tunable building blocks for designing complex self-assembled materials.
• Understanding self-assembly mechanisms is crucial for fabricating novel materials with desired characteristics.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the self-assembly mechanism of two-dimensional dodecagonal quasicrystals (DDQCs) from patchy particles with five-fold rotational symmetry.
• To elucidate the role of particle rearrangement and collective motion in DDQC formation.
• To compare the self-assembly process and dynamics between patchy and isotropic particle systems.

Main Methods:

• Brownian dynamics simulations were employed to model the self-assembly process.
• An annealing process was used to guide the formation of DDQCs.
• Analysis of structural transitions, nucleation events, and particle dynamics was performed.
• Comparative analysis with isotropic particle systems was conducted.

Main Results:

• The self-assembly mechanism involves an initial hexagonal structure followed by nucleation and growth of dodecagonal motifs.
• The transition to dodecagonal structures is driven by collective particle motion.
• DDQCs form clusters of dodecagonal motifs with various packing arrangements.
• Fluctuations in DDQCs are characterized by changes in the dodecagonal motif network.
• Both patchy and isotropic particle systems exhibit similar DDQC formation and fluctuation mechanisms.

Conclusions:

• Patchy particles with specific symmetry patterns can effectively self-assemble into two-dimensional dodecagonal quasicrystals.
• The identified self-assembly pathway provides insights into the formation of complex quasicrystalline structures.
• The findings suggest that the fundamental mechanisms of DDQC formation and dynamics are conserved between patchy and isotropic particle systems.