Self-assembly as a research area investigates the spontaneous organization of components into ordered structures driven by local interactions and thermodynamic or kinetic principles, without direct external manipulation of each element. It encompasses molecular, nanoscale, and mesoscale systems where noncovalent forces (e.g., van der Waals, electrostatic, hydrophobic, hydrogen bonding) or specific binding interactions encode structural information. Research focuses on understanding design rules, energy landscapes, and defect formation, as well as developing programmable systems (e.g., DNA origami, block copolymers, colloidal crystals) for applications in materials science, nanotechnology, and biotechnology, often linking equilibrium self-assembly with nonequilibrium and hierarchical assembly processes.
Seeking to mimic self-assembly processes that occur naturally, RIKEN researchers have demonstrated that the self-assembly of rod-shaped viruses can be controlled by applying a magnetic field. This could help in the development ...
Bio & Medicine
Mar 31, 2025
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314
Unsubstituted π-electronic systems with expanded π-planes are highly desirable for improving charge-carrier transport in organic semiconductors. However, their poor solubility and high crystallinity pose major challenges ...
Nanophysics
Mar 18, 2025
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97
With the long-term goal of creating living cells from non-living components, scientists in the field of synthetic biology work with RNA origami. This tool uses the multifunctionality of the natural RNA biomolecule to fold ...
Bio & Medicine
Mar 17, 2025
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57
Colloidal self-assembly is a process where colloidal particles spontaneously organize into ordered structures under specific conditions. Colloidal self-assembly serves as a foundation for designing materials like optoelectronic ...
Nanomaterials
Mar 14, 2025
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45
University at Albany researchers at the RNA Institute are pioneering new methods for designing and assembling DNA nanostructures, enhancing their potential for real-world applications in medicine, materials science and data ...
Bio & Medicine
Mar 12, 2025
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116
Using an approach called DNA origami, scientists at Caltech have developed a technique that could lead to cheaper, reusable biomarker sensors for quickly detecting proteins in bodily fluids, eliminating the need to send samples ...
Bio & Medicine
Feb 24, 2025
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88
Covalent bonding is a widely understood phenomenon that joins the atoms of a molecule by a shared electron pair. But in nature, patterns of molecules can also be connected through weaker, more dynamic forces that give rise ...
Bio & Medicine
Feb 13, 2025
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27
A research team has discovered that achiral hard banana-shaped particles can spontaneously form exotic structures like skyrmions and blue phase III phases. Skyrmions are tiny vortex-like structures found in various condensed-matter ...
Condensed Matter
Jan 27, 2025
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93
So-called "infinite-layer" nickelate materials, characterized by their unique crystal and electronic structures, exhibit significant potential as high-temperature superconductors. Studying these materials remains challenging ...
Condensed Matter
Jan 17, 2025
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86
When robots are made out of modular units, their size, shape, and functionality can be modified to perform any number of tasks. At the microscale, modular robots could enable applications like targeted drug delivery and autonomous ...
Bio & Medicine
Jan 8, 2025
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