Engineering porous two-dimensional lattices via self-assembly of non-convex hexagonal platelets

Abstract

In this work, a molecular-dynamics simulation study of the formation of ordered two-dimensional porous structures is presented.

Tunable assembly of host–guest colloidal crystals

“…Previous work demonstrated the assembly of a homoporous hexagon pore crystal in systems of edge-attractive stars with repulsive ligands grafted to each vertex that serve to disfavor the tip-tip coordination that is present in the stretched hexagon and shield pores. 26 However, a particle morphology disfavoring tip-tip proximity only promotes hexagon pores (similar to how previous work on notched triangles 33 allowed for only hexagon pores to form) because the stretched hexagon and shield pores have tip-tip alignment (see Fig. 1).…”

“…The remainder of this paper proceeds as follows: we first show that mixtures of 3-pointed star-shaped host particles and either square or small-hexagon guest particles form heteroporous HG crystals isostructural to those observed in systems of attractive star-shaped particles. 26 We then show that the structure of the porous network of host particles depends on the size and shape of the guest particles, such that one can use the guest particles to tune the structure of the host particle network. Finally, we show that entropy is compartmentalized in these HG systems using free volume calculations.…”

“…One example is the porous structures formed by star-shaped particles both with and without interparticle attraction. 26,27 Multicomponent systems offer another promising route to the assembly of open structures following the removal of one component. 28 Although self-assembly in binary hard sphere systems is well-studied, 6,29,30 multicomponent systems of hard, anisotropic particles are relatively underexplored in the literature, with only a few examples of substitutionally ordered lattices (co-crystals) reported.…”

Computer simulations of self-assembly of anisotropic colloids

“…Pakalidou et al studied the self-assembly of non-convex hexagonal platelets (NCTPs) [95]. The platelet is modelled by arranging five spherical beads on each of the edges.…”

A Matter of Size and Placement: Varying the Patch Size of Anisotropic Patchy Colloids

“…The same approach—non-spherical building units provided with a discrete number of bonding sites—can be also applied at the nanometer scale: DNA origami of different shapes have been programmed to assemble into prescribed two-dimensional tilings by taking advantage of blunt end stacking and hybridization sites, thus providing versatile platforms to engineer optical metamaterials and biomimetic tissues [ 18 , 19 , 20 , 21 , 22 ]. At even larger length scales, micrometer non-spherical colloids decorated with attractive spots along their perimeter also form two-dimensional aggregates whose complex geometries can be related to the properties of the constituent units [ 23 , 24 , 25 ]: close-packed versus porous, surface structures, as well as finite clusters with specific architectures can be designed by tailoring the single particle features [ 26 , 27 , 28 , 29 , 30 ]. Colloidal platelets with non-spherical shapes and directional bonding sites—often referred to as patches—constitute an ideal playground for testing and understanding the driving mechanisms of two-dimensional tilings.…”