The self-assembly or crystallization of colloidal particles into well-defined architectures is of great interest for potential applications in biomaterials, catalysis, and photonics. In contrast to atoms and molecules, the number and symmetry of structures that self-assemble from colloidal particles is restricted by the absence of directional specific bonds. We have introduced a general method for creating the colloidal analogs of atoms with valence: colloidal particles with chemically functionalized patches that can form highly directional specific bonds. The valences of these new “colloidal atoms” possess all the common symmetries characteristic of hybridized atomic orbitals, including sp, sp2, sp3, sp3d, sp3d2, and sp3d3. Because the bonds between these new colloidal atoms are highly directional and fully reversible, they open up the possibility of building new low-coordinated open structures, both amorphous and crystalline, which is emerging as a key design feature for assembling colloids with photonic band gaps. The presentation will expand on these results by introducing colloids fabricated form new materials as well as new crystallization and self-assembly strategies to expand the toolbox of colloidal molecules.

Directed self-assembly and crystallization of colloids

254th National Meeting (2017)

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