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Lock and key colloids: Controlling self assembly via depletion forces

锁和钥匙胶体：通过耗尽力控制自组装

基本信息

批准号：
EP/I036192/1
负责人：
Nigel Wilding
金额：
$ 39.14万
依托单位：
University of Bath
依托单位国家：
英国
项目类别：
Research Grant
财政年份：
2012
资助国家：
英国
起止时间：
2012 至无数据
项目状态：
已结题

来源：
https://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=EP%2FI036192%2F1
关键词：
Lock key colloids Controlling self

项目摘要

It is a famous result from mathematics that the most efficient way to pack spherical particles is to stack them in layers, like oranges in a box. Another result, less well-known, is that microscopic plastic spheres (colloids) will form the same ordered structure spontaneously, on immersion in a simple mixture of chemicals. This is an example of self-assembly: no energy is used up and individual particles are not manipulated by hand, but an ordered product is assembled. Furthermore, these systems are simple enough that the forces between the particles can be calculated theoretically and the systems simulated in computers.Self-assembly is also relevant in many other contexts, including biology. There, complicated biological molecules come together and form ordered structures that might might be essential for life (for example, microscopic filaments that give cells their shape) or might cause disease (for example, viruses). Inspired by these biological systems, proposals have been made to use self-assembly in nanotechnology, building novel solar cells or computers.However, while these ideas are exciting, the problem in designing such self-assembled products is one of control. The biological systems can assemble into complex functional structures but the interactions between the particles are complicated and it is not easy to design and build similar systems for our own specific purposes. On the other hand, simple spherical colloids can be controlled accurately but can only be used to make stacked layers of spheres. Recently, an important step was made: by making colloids with different shapes, new ordered structures could self-assemble: not stacked layers but clusters and strings of particles. The new particles are called "locks" and "keys" because of the way they fit together as they assemble.This proposal will use computer simulation to explore the self-assembly of these lock and key particles. As in the spherical case, the fundamental physics are understood, so we can use computer simulations to predict and explain the results of experiments. In particular, we will investigate the range of structures that might self-assemble, both with existing lock and key particles and with other similar particles that might be made in the future. In this way we aim to guide future experiments in this area, and look into possible technological applications of lock and key systems.More generally, by starting from a relatively simple system of colloidal particles with different shapes, we aim to develop guiding principles that can be used more generally in designing and controlling self-assembly. If a system might form several different structures, how can we select one out of the many choices? Is it easier to assemble flexible structures or rigid ones, and how might this flexibility be controlled? Can we design structures that can still assemble even if their shapes are imperfect or slightly different from each other? Such questions occur in many different self-assembling systems: by investigating them in the relatively simple context of lock and key particles, we look for insight that might one day be used to mimic or disrupt biological assembly, or to build nano-scale products of machines.

这是一个著名的数学结果，即包装球形粒子的最有效方法是将它们层层堆叠，就像盒子里的橙子一样。另一个不太为人所知的结果是，微观塑料球（胶体）在浸入简单的化学混合物中时会自发地形成相同的有序结构。这是自组装的一个例子：没有能量被消耗，单个粒子也不是由人工操纵的，而是组装成有序的产品。此外，这些系统足够简单，可以从理论上计算粒子之间的力，并在计算机中模拟系统。自组装也与许多其他背景有关，包括生物学。在那里，复杂的生物分子聚集在一起，形成有序的结构，这些结构可能是生命所必需的（例如，赋予细胞形状的微观细丝），也可能导致疾病（例如，病毒）。受这些生物系统的启发，有人提出将自组装技术应用于纳米技术，制造新型太阳能电池或计算机。然而，尽管这些想法令人兴奋，但设计这种自组装产品的问题是控制问题。生物系统可以组装成复杂的功能结构，但粒子之间的相互作用是复杂的，并且不容易为我们自己的特定目的设计和构建类似的系统。另一方面，简单的球形胶体可以精确控制，但只能用于制造堆叠的球体层。最近，科学家们迈出了重要的一步：通过制造不同形状的胶体，新的有序结构可以自组装：不是堆叠的层，而是颗粒的簇和串。这种新粒子被称为“锁”和“钥匙”，因为它们组装在一起的方式。这项提议将使用计算机模拟来探索这些锁和钥匙粒子的自组装。正如在球形的情况下，基本的物理学是理解的，所以我们可以使用计算机模拟来预测和解释实验结果。特别是，我们将研究可能自组装的结构范围，既有现有的锁和钥匙粒子，也有未来可能制造的其他类似粒子。通过这种方式，我们的目标是指导未来的实验在这一领域，并期待在锁和钥匙系统的可能的技术应用。更一般地说，通过从一个相对简单的系统胶体颗粒具有不同的形状，我们的目标是开发指导原则，可以更普遍地用于设计和控制自组装。如果一个系统可以形成几种不同的结构，我们如何从众多的选择中选择一种呢？组装柔性结构还是刚性结构更容易？如何控制这种柔性？我们能设计出即使形状不完美或彼此略有不同也能组装起来的结构吗？这些问题出现在许多不同的自组装系统中：通过在相对简单的锁和钥匙粒子的背景下研究它们，我们寻找有一天可能用于模仿或破坏生物组装或构建纳米级机器产品的见解。