1
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Moreno-Chaparro D, Moreno N, Usabiaga FB, Ellero M. Computational modeling of passive transport of functionalized nanoparticles. J Chem Phys 2023; 158:104108. [PMID: 36922140 DOI: 10.1063/5.0136833] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Functionalized nanoparticles (NPs) are complex objects present in a variety of systems ranging from synthetic grafted nanoparticles to viruses. The morphology and number of the decorating groups can vary widely between systems. Thus, the modeling of functionalized NPs typically considers simplified spherical objects as a first-order approximation. At the nanoscale label, complex hydrodynamic interactions are expected to emerge as the morphological features of the particles change, and they can be further amplified when the NPs are confined or near walls. Direct estimation of these variations can be inferred via diffusion coefficients of the NPs. However, the evaluation of the coefficients requires an improved representation of the NPs morphology to reproduce important features hidden by simplified spherical models. Here, we characterize the passive transport of free and confined functionalized nanoparticles using the Rigid Multi-Blob (RMB) method. The main advantage of RMB is its versatility to approximate the mobility of complex structures at the nanoscale with significant accuracy and reduced computational cost. In particular, we investigate the effect of functional groups' distribution, size, and morphology over nanoparticle translational and rotational diffusion. We identify that the presence of functional groups significantly affects the rotational diffusion of the nanoparticles; moreover, the morphology of the groups and number induce characteristic mobility reduction compared to non-functionalized nanoparticles. Confined NPs also evidenced important alterations in their diffusivity, with distinctive signatures in the off-diagonal contributions of the rotational diffusion. These results can be exploited in various applications, including biomedical, polymer nanocomposite fabrication, drug delivery, and imaging.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Nicolas Moreno
- Basque Center for Applied Mathematics, BCAM, Alameda de Mazarredo 14, Bilbao 48400, Spain
| | | | - Marco Ellero
- Basque Center for Applied Mathematics, BCAM, Alameda de Mazarredo 14, Bilbao 48400, Spain
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2
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Stadik A, Kahl G. Deformable hard particles confined in a disordered porous matrix. J Chem Phys 2021; 155:244507. [PMID: 34972368 DOI: 10.1063/5.0068680] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
With suitably designed Monte Carlo simulations, we have investigated the properties of mobile, impenetrable, yet deformable particles that are immersed into a porous matrix, the latter one realized by a frozen configuration of spherical particles. By virtue of a model put forward by Batista and Miller [Phys. Rev. Lett. 105, 088305 (2010)], the fluid particles can change in their surroundings, formed by other fluid particles or the matrix particles, their shape within the class of ellipsoids of revolution; such a change in shape is related to a change in energy, which is fed into suitably defined selection rules in the deformation "moves" of the Monte Carlo simulations. This concept represents a simple yet powerful model of realistic, deformable molecules with complex internal structures (such as dendrimers or polymers). For the evaluation of the properties of the system, we have used the well-known quenched-annealed protocol (with its characteristic double average prescription) and have analyzed the simulation data in terms of static properties (the radial distribution function and aspect ratio distribution of the ellipsoids) and dynamic features (notably the mean squared displacement). Our data provide evidence that the degree of deformability of the fluid particles has a distinct impact on the aforementioned properties of the system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Stadik
- Institute for Theoretical Physics and Center for Computational Materials Science (CMS), Technische Universität Wien, Wiedner Hauptstraße 8-10, A-1040 Wien, Austria
| | - Gerhard Kahl
- Institute for Theoretical Physics and Center for Computational Materials Science (CMS), Technische Universität Wien, Wiedner Hauptstraße 8-10, A-1040 Wien, Austria
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3
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Bačová P, Mintis DG, Gkolfi E, Harmandaris V. Mikto-Arm Stars as Soft-Patchy Particles: From Building Blocks to Mesoscopic Structures. Polymers (Basel) 2021; 13:1114. [PMID: 33915849 PMCID: PMC8037958 DOI: 10.3390/polym13071114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2021] [Revised: 03/26/2021] [Accepted: 03/27/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
We present an atomistic molecular dynamics study of self-assembled mikto-arm stars, which resemble patchy-like particles. By increasing the number of stars in the system, we propose a systematic way of examining the mutual orientation of these fully penetrable patchy-like objects. The individual stars maintain their patchy-like morphology when creating a mesoscopic (macromolecular) self-assembled object of more than three stars. The self-assembly of mikto-arm stars does not lead to a deformation of the stars, and their shape remains spherical. We identified characteristic sub-units in the self-assembled structure, differing by the mutual orientation of the nearest neighbor stars. The current work aims to elucidate the possible arrangements of the realistic, fully penetrable patchy particles in polymer matrix and to serve as a model system for further studies of nanostructured materials or all-polymer nanocomposites using the mikto-arm stars as building blocks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Petra Bačová
- Computation-Based Science and Technology Research Center, The Cyprus Institute, 20 Constantinou Kavafi Str., Nicosia 2121, Cyprus; (D.G.M.); (V.H.)
- Institute of Applied and Computational Mathematics (IACM), Foundation for Research and Technology Hellas (FORTH), GR-70013 Heraklion, Crete, Greece;
| | - Dimitris G. Mintis
- Computation-Based Science and Technology Research Center, The Cyprus Institute, 20 Constantinou Kavafi Str., Nicosia 2121, Cyprus; (D.G.M.); (V.H.)
| | - Eirini Gkolfi
- Institute of Applied and Computational Mathematics (IACM), Foundation for Research and Technology Hellas (FORTH), GR-70013 Heraklion, Crete, Greece;
- Department of Mathematics and Applied Mathematics, University of Crete, GR-70013 Heraklion, Crete, Greece
| | - Vagelis Harmandaris
- Computation-Based Science and Technology Research Center, The Cyprus Institute, 20 Constantinou Kavafi Str., Nicosia 2121, Cyprus; (D.G.M.); (V.H.)
- Institute of Applied and Computational Mathematics (IACM), Foundation for Research and Technology Hellas (FORTH), GR-70013 Heraklion, Crete, Greece;
- Department of Mathematics and Applied Mathematics, University of Crete, GR-70013 Heraklion, Crete, Greece
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4
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Altan I, Charbonneau P. Obtaining Soft Matter Models of Proteins and their Phase Behavior. Methods Mol Biol 2020; 2039:209-228. [PMID: 31342429 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4939-9678-0_15] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/19/2023]
Abstract
Globular proteins are roughly spherical biomolecules with attractive and highly directional interactions. This microscopic observation motivates describing these proteins as patchy particles: hard spheres with attractive surface patches. Mapping a biomolecule to a patchy model requires simplifying effective protein-protein interactions, which in turn provides a microscopic understanding of the protein solution behavior. The patchy model can indeed be fully analyzed, including its phase diagram. In this chapter, we detail the methodology of mapping a given protein to a patchy model and of determining the phase diagram of the latter. We also briefly describe the theory upon which the methodology is based, provide practical information, and discuss potential pitfalls. Data and scripts relevant to this work have been archived and can be accessed at https://doi.org/10.7924/r4ww7bs1p .
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Affiliation(s)
- Irem Altan
- Department of Chemistry, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA.
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5
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Abstract
AbstractThe self-assembly of Janus ring polymers is studied via a coarse-grained molecular dynamics employing a bead spring model including bending rigidity contributions to the Hamiltonian. We examine the formation and the morphology of amphiphilicity-driven clusters in the system using the number density ρN, the temperature T, the fraction of solvophobic monomers α, and the stiffness of the polymer rings κ as control parameters. We present a quantitative analysis of several characteristics for the formed clusters of Janus rings. Measured quantities include the distribution of the cluster size MC and the shape of the clusters in the form of the prolate/oblate factor Q and shape factors sf. We demonstrate Janus rings form polymorphic micelles that vary from a spherical shape, akin to that known for linear block copolymers, to a novel type of toroidal shape, and we highlight the role played by the key physical parameters leading to the stabilization of such structures.
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6
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Immink JN, Maris JJE, Schurtenberger P, Stenhammar J. Using Patchy Particles to Prevent Local Rearrangements in Models of Non-equilibrium Colloidal Gels. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2020; 36:419-425. [PMID: 31763852 PMCID: PMC6994064 DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.9b02675] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2019] [Revised: 10/30/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Simple models based on isotropic interparticle attractions often fail to capture experimentally observed structures of colloidal gels formed through spinodal decomposition and subsequent arrest: the resulting gels are typically denser and less branched than their experimental counterparts. Here, we simulate gels formed from soft particles with directional attractions ("patchy particles"), designed to inhibit lateral particle rearrangement after aggregation. We directly compare simulated structures with experimental colloidal gels made using soft attractive microgel particles, by employing a "skeletonization" method that reconstructs the three-dimensional backbone from experiment or simulation. We show that including directional attractions with sufficient valency leads to strongly branched structures compared to isotropic models. Furthermore, combining isotropic and directional attractions provides additional control over aggregation kinetics and gel structure. Our results show that the inhibition of lateral particle rearrangements strongly affects the gel topology and is an important effect to consider in computational models of colloidal gels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jasper N. Immink
- Division
of Physical Chemistry, Lund University, 22100 Lund, Sweden
| | - J. J. Erik Maris
- Inorganic
Chemistry and Catalysis Group, Utrecht University, 3584 CG Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Peter Schurtenberger
- Division
of Physical Chemistry, Lund University, 22100 Lund, Sweden
- Lund
Institute of advanced Neutron and X-ray Science (LINXS), Lund University, 22100 Lund, Sweden
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7
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Moghimi E, Chubak I, Statt A, Howard MP, Founta D, Polymeropoulos G, Ntetsikas K, Hadjichristidis N, Panagiotopoulos AZ, Likos CN, Vlassopoulos D. Self-Organization and Flow of Low-Functionality Telechelic Star Polymers with Varying Attraction. ACS Macro Lett 2019; 8:766-772. [PMID: 35619517 DOI: 10.1021/acsmacrolett.9b00211] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
We combine state-of-the art synthesis, simulations, and physical experiments to explore the tunable, responsive character of telechelic star polymers as models for soft patchy particles. We focus on the simplest possible system: a star comprising three asymmetric block copolymer arms with solvophilic inner and solvophobic outer blocks. Our dilute solution studies reveal the onset of a second slow mode in the intermediate scattering functions as the temperature decreases below the θ-point of the outer block, as well as the size reduction of single stars upon further decreasing temperature. Clusters comprising multiple stars are formed and their average dimensions, akin to the single star size, counterintuitively decrease upon cooling. A similar phenomenology is observed in simulations upon increasing attraction between the outer blocks and is rationalized as a result of the interplay between interstar associations and steric repulsion between the star cores. Since our simulations are able to describe the experimental findings reliably, we can use them with confidence to make predictions at conditions and flow regimes that are inaccessible experimentally. Specifically, we employ simulations to investigate flow properties of the system at high shear rates, revealing shear thinning behavior caused by the breakup of interstar associations under flow. On the other hand, the zero-shear viscosity obtained experimentally exhibits a rather weak activation energy, which increases upon rising star concentration. These findings demonstrate the unusual properties of telechelic star polymers even in the dilute regime. They also offer a powerful toolbox for designing soft patchy particles and exploring their unprecedented responsive properties further on.
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Affiliation(s)
- Esmaeel Moghimi
- Institute of Electronic Structure and Laser, FORTH, Heraklion 71110, Crete, Greece
- Department of Materials Science and Technology, University of Crete, Heraklion 71003, Crete, Greece
| | - Iurii Chubak
- Faculty of Physics, University of Vienna, Boltzmanngasse 5, A-1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Antonia Statt
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey 08544, United States
| | - Michael P. Howard
- McKetta Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78712, United States
| | - Dimitra Founta
- Institute of Electronic Structure and Laser, FORTH, Heraklion 71110, Crete, Greece
- Department of Materials Science and Technology, University of Crete, Heraklion 71003, Crete, Greece
| | - George Polymeropoulos
- Physical Sciences and Engineering Division, KAUST Catalysis Center, Polymer Synthesis Laboratory, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal 23955, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
| | - Konstantinos Ntetsikas
- Physical Sciences and Engineering Division, KAUST Catalysis Center, Polymer Synthesis Laboratory, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal 23955, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
| | - Nikos Hadjichristidis
- Physical Sciences and Engineering Division, KAUST Catalysis Center, Polymer Synthesis Laboratory, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal 23955, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
| | | | - Christos N. Likos
- Faculty of Physics, University of Vienna, Boltzmanngasse 5, A-1090 Vienna, Austria
- Isaac Newton Institute for Mathematical Sciences, 20 Clarkson Road, Cambridge CB3 0EH, United Kingdom
| | - Dimitris Vlassopoulos
- Institute of Electronic Structure and Laser, FORTH, Heraklion 71110, Crete, Greece
- Department of Materials Science and Technology, University of Crete, Heraklion 71003, Crete, Greece
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8
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Toneian D, Likos CN, Kahl G. Controlled self-aggregation of polymer-based nanoparticles employing shear flow and magnetic fields. JOURNAL OF PHYSICS. CONDENSED MATTER : AN INSTITUTE OF PHYSICS JOURNAL 2019; 31:24LT02. [PMID: 30865934 DOI: 10.1088/1361-648x/ab0f6d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
Star polymers with magnetically functionalized end groups are presented as a novel polymeric system whose morphology, self-aggregation, and orientation can easily be tuned by exposing these macromolecules simultaneously to an external magnetic field and to shear forces. Our investigations are based on a specialized simulation technique which faithfully takes into account the hydrodynamic interactions of the surrounding, Newtonian solvent. We find that the combination of magnetic field (including both strength and direction) and shear rate controls the mean number of magnetic clusters, which in turn is largely responsible for the static and dynamic behavior. While some properties are similar to comparable non-magnetic star polymers, others exhibit novel phenomena; examples of the latter include the breakup and reorganization of the clusters beyond a critical shear rate, and a strong dependence of the efficiency with which shear rate is translated into whole-body rotations on the direction of the magnetic field.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Toneian
- Institute for Theoretical Physics, TU Wien, Wiedner Hauptstraße 8-10, A-1040 Vienna, Austria. Faculty of Physics, University of Vienna, Boltzmanngasse 5, A-1090 Vienna, Austria
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9
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Zhu X, Truskett TM, Bonnecaze RT. Phase diagram for two-dimensional layer of soft particles. SOFT MATTER 2019; 15:4162-4169. [PMID: 31062013 DOI: 10.1039/c9sm00333a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
The phase diagram of a monolayer of soft particles described by the Daoud-Cotton model for star polymers is presented. Ground state calculations and grand canonical Monte Carlo simulations are used to determine the phase behavior as a function of the number of arms on the star and the areal coverage of the soft particles. The phase diagram exhibits rich behavior including reentrant melting and freezing and solid-solid transitions with triangular, stripe, honeycomb and kagome phases. These structures in 2D are analogous to the structures observed in 3D. The evolution of the structure factor with density is qualitatively similar to that measured in experiments for polymer grafted nanocrystals [Chen et al., Macromolecules, 2017, 50, 9636].
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Affiliation(s)
- Xilan Zhu
- McKetta Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78712, USA.
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10
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Gârlea IC, Jaramillo-Cano D, Likos CN. Self-organization of gel networks formed by block copolymer stars. SOFT MATTER 2019; 15:3527-3540. [PMID: 30944917 DOI: 10.1039/c9sm00111e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
The equilibrium properties of block copolymer star networks (BCS) are studied via computer simulations. We employ both molecular dynamics and multiparticle collisional dynamics simulations to investigate the self-organization of BCS with f = 9 functionalized arms close to their overlap concentrations under conditions of different fractions of functionalization and varying attraction strength. We find three distinct macroscopic self-organized states depending on fraction of attractive end-monomers and the strength of the attraction. At weak attractions, ergodic, diffusive liquids result, with short-lived bonds between the stars. As the attraction strength grows, the whole system forms a percolating cluster, while at the same time the individual molecules are diffusive. Finally, arrested gels emerge when the attractions become strong. The conformation of the BCS in these solutions is found to be strongly affected by the concentration, with the stars assuming typically spherical, open configurations in seeking to maximize inter-star associations as opposed to the inter-star collapse that results at infinite dilution, giving rise to strongly aspherical shapes and reduced sizes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ioana C Gârlea
- Faculty of Physics, University of Vienna, Boltzmanngasse 5, 1090 Vienna, Austria.
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11
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Mehr FN, Grigoriev D, Puretskiy N, Böker A. Mono-patchy zwitterionic microcolloids as building blocks for pH-controlled self-assembly. SOFT MATTER 2019; 15:2430-2438. [PMID: 30788469 PMCID: PMC6430096 DOI: 10.1039/c8sm02151a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2018] [Accepted: 02/13/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
A directional molecular interaction between microcolloids can be achieved through pre-defined sites on their surface, "patches", which might make them follow each other in a controlled way and assemble into target structures of more complexity. In this article, we report the successful generation and characterization of mono-patchy melamine-formaldehyde microparticles with oppositely charged patches made of poly(methyl vinyl ether-alt-maleic acid) or polyethyleneimine via microcontact printing. The study of their self-aggregation behavior in solution shows that by change of pH, particle dimers are formed via attractive electrostatic force between the patchy and non-patchy surface of the particles, which reaches its optimum at a specific pH.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fatemeh Naderi Mehr
- Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Polymer Research IAP
,
D-14476 Potsdam-Golm
, Germany
.
;
- Chair of Polymer Materials and Polymer Technologies
, University Potsdam
,
D-14476 Potsdam-Golm
, Germany
| | - Dmitry Grigoriev
- Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Polymer Research IAP
,
D-14476 Potsdam-Golm
, Germany
.
;
| | - Nikolay Puretskiy
- Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Polymer Research IAP
,
D-14476 Potsdam-Golm
, Germany
.
;
| | - Alexander Böker
- Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Polymer Research IAP
,
D-14476 Potsdam-Golm
, Germany
.
;
- Chair of Polymer Materials and Polymer Technologies
, University Potsdam
,
D-14476 Potsdam-Golm
, Germany
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12
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Borówko M, Rżysko W, Sokołowski S, Pizio O. Molecular dynamics and density functional study of the structure of hairy particles at a hard wall. J Mol Liq 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/j.molliq.2017.11.146] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
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13
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Baran Ł, Sokołowski S. Effective interactions between a pair of particles modified with tethered chains. J Chem Phys 2018; 147:044903. [PMID: 28764361 DOI: 10.1063/1.4994919] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Using molecular dynamics, we evaluate the potential of mean force for two models of hybrid nanoparticles, namely, for the models with fixed and movable chain ligands. We also investigate the structure of segments of chains around nanoparticles and its change when one nanoparticle approaches the other. In the case of an isolated particle, we also employ a density functional theory to compute the segment density profiles. Moreover, to determine the structure of segments around a core, we have employed the concept of the so-called mass dipoles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ł Baran
- Department for the Modelling of Physico-Chemical Processes, Maria Curie-Sklodowska University, Gliniana 33, Lublin, Poland
| | - S Sokołowski
- Department for the Modelling of Physico-Chemical Processes, Maria Curie-Sklodowska University, Gliniana 33, Lublin, Poland
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14
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Newton AC, Groenewold J, Kegel WK, Bolhuis PG. The role of multivalency in the association kinetics of patchy particle complexes. J Chem Phys 2018. [PMID: 28641424 DOI: 10.1063/1.4984966] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Association and dissociation of particles are elementary steps in many natural and technological relevant processes. For many such processes, the presence of multiple binding sites is essential. For instance, protein complexes and regular structures such as virus shells are formed from elementary building blocks with multiple binding sites. Here we address a fundamental question concerning the role of multivalency of binding sites in the association kinetics of such complexes. Using single replica transition interface sampling simulations, we investigate the influence of the multivalency on the binding kinetics and the association mechanism of patchy particles that form polyhedral clusters. When the individual bond strength is fixed, the kinetics naturally is very dependent on the multivalency, with dissociation rate constants exponentially decreasing with the number of bonds. In contrast, we find that when the total bond energy per particle is kept constant, association and dissociation rate constants turn out rather independent of multivalency, although of course still very dependent on the total energy. The association and dissociation mechanisms, however, depend on the presence and nature of the intermediate states. For instance, pathways that visit intermediate states are less prevalent for particles with five binding sites compared to the case of particles with only three bonds. The presence of intermediate states can lead to kinetic trapping and malformed aggregates. We discuss implications for natural forming complexes such as virus shells and for the design of artificial colloidal patchy particles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arthur C Newton
- Van't Hoff Institute for Molecular Sciences, Universiteit van Amsterdam, Science Park 904, 1098 XH Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Jan Groenewold
- Van't Hoff Laboratory for Physical and Colloid Chemistry, Debye Institute, Utrecht University, Padualaan 8, 3584 CH Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Willem K Kegel
- Van't Hoff Laboratory for Physical and Colloid Chemistry, Debye Institute, Utrecht University, Padualaan 8, 3584 CH Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Peter G Bolhuis
- Van't Hoff Institute for Molecular Sciences, Universiteit van Amsterdam, Science Park 904, 1098 XH Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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15
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Borówko M, Sokołowski S, Staszewski T, Pizio O. Adsorption of hairy particles with mobile ligands: Molecular dynamics and density functional study. J Chem Phys 2018; 148:044705. [PMID: 29390816 DOI: 10.1063/1.5010687] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
We study models of hairy nanoparticles in contact with a hard wall. Each particle is built of a spherical core with a number of ligands attached to it and each ligand is composed of several spherical, tangentially jointed segments. The number of segments is the same for all ligands. Particular models differ by the numbers of ligands and of segments per ligand, but the total number of segments is constant. Moreover, our model assumes that the ligands are tethered to the core in such a manner that they can "slide" over the core surface. Using molecular dynamics simulations we investigate the differences in the structure of a system close to the wall. In order to characterize the distribution of the ligands around the core, we have calculated the end-to-end distances of the ligands and the lengths and orientation of the mass dipoles. Additionally, we also employed a density functional approach to obtain the density profiles. We have found that if the number of ligands is not too high, the proposed version of the theory is capable to predict the structure of the system with a reasonable accuracy.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Borówko
- Department for the Modelling of Physico-Chemical Processes, Maria Curie-Sklodowska University, Gliniana 33, Lublin, Poland
| | - S Sokołowski
- Department for the Modelling of Physico-Chemical Processes, Maria Curie-Sklodowska University, Gliniana 33, Lublin, Poland
| | - T Staszewski
- Department for the Modelling of Physico-Chemical Processes, Maria Curie-Sklodowska University, Gliniana 33, Lublin, Poland
| | - O Pizio
- Instituto de Investigaciones en Materiales, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Circuito Exterior, 04510 Ciudad de México, Mexico
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16
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Cai J, Townsend JP, Dodson TC, Heiney PA, Sweeney AM. Eye patches: Protein assembly of index-gradient squid lenses. Science 2017; 357:564-569. [PMID: 28798124 DOI: 10.1126/science.aal2674] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2016] [Revised: 02/06/2017] [Accepted: 07/07/2017] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
A parabolic relationship between lens radius and refractive index allows spherical lenses to avoid spherical aberration. We show that in squid, patchy colloidal physics resulted from an evolutionary radiation of globular S-crystallin proteins. Small-angle x-ray scattering experiments on lens tissue show colloidal gels of S-crystallins at all radial positions. Sparse lens materials form via low-valence linkages between disordered loops protruding from the protein surface. The loops are polydisperse and bind via a set of hydrogen bonds between disordered side chains. Peripheral lens regions with low particle valence form stable, volume-spanning gels at low density, whereas central regions with higher average valence gel at higher densities. The proteins demonstrate an evolved set of linkers for self-assembly of nanoparticles into volumetric materials.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Cai
- University of Pennsylvania, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - J P Townsend
- University of Pennsylvania, Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - T C Dodson
- University of Pennsylvania, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - P A Heiney
- University of Pennsylvania, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - A M Sweeney
- University of Pennsylvania, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
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17
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C. Gârlea I, Bianchi E, Capone B, Rovigatti L, N. Likos C. Hierarchical self-organization of soft patchy nanoparticles into morphologically diverse aggregates. Curr Opin Colloid Interface Sci 2017. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cocis.2017.03.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
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18
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Bianchi E, van Oostrum PD, Likos CN, Kahl G. Inverse patchy colloids: Synthesis, modeling and self-organization. Curr Opin Colloid Interface Sci 2017. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cocis.2017.03.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
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19
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Araújo NAM, Dias CS, Telo da Gama MM. Nonequilibrium self-organization of colloidal particles on substrates: adsorption, relaxation, and annealing. JOURNAL OF PHYSICS. CONDENSED MATTER : AN INSTITUTE OF PHYSICS JOURNAL 2017; 29:014001. [PMID: 27830664 DOI: 10.1088/0953-8984/29/1/014001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Colloidal particles are considered ideal building blocks to produce materials with enhanced physical properties. The state-of-the-art techniques for synthesizing these particles provide control over shape, size, and directionality of the interactions. In spite of these advances, there is still a huge gap between the synthesis of individual components and the management of their spontaneous organization towards the desired structures. The main challenge is the control over the dynamics of self-organization. In their kinetic route towards thermodynamically stable structures, colloidal particles self-organize into intermediate (mesoscopic) structures that are much larger than the individual particles and become the relevant units for the dynamics. To follow the dynamics and identify kinetically trapped structures, one needs to develop new theoretical and numerical tools. Here we discuss the self-organization of functionalized colloids (also known as patchy colloids) on attractive substrates. We review our recent results on the adsorption and relaxation and explore the use of annealing cycles to overcome kinetic barriers and drive the relaxation towards the targeted structures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nuno A M Araújo
- Centro de Física Teórica e Computacional, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, Portugal. Departamento de Física, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, Portugal
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20
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Zhou Y, Ma X, Zhang L, Lin J. Directed assembly of functionalized nanoparticles with amphiphilic diblock copolymers. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2017; 19:18757-18766. [DOI: 10.1039/c7cp03294c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
We theoretically propose a simple approach to achieve soft nanoparticles with a self-patchiness nature, which are further directed to assemble into a rich variety of highly ordered superstructures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yaru Zhou
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Advanced Polymeric Materials
- State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering
- Key Laboratory for Ultrafine Materials of Ministry of Education
- School of Materials Science and Engineering
- East China University of Science and Technology
| | - Xiaodong Ma
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Advanced Polymeric Materials
- State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering
- Key Laboratory for Ultrafine Materials of Ministry of Education
- School of Materials Science and Engineering
- East China University of Science and Technology
| | - Liangshun Zhang
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Advanced Polymeric Materials
- State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering
- Key Laboratory for Ultrafine Materials of Ministry of Education
- School of Materials Science and Engineering
- East China University of Science and Technology
| | - Jiaping Lin
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Advanced Polymeric Materials
- State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering
- Key Laboratory for Ultrafine Materials of Ministry of Education
- School of Materials Science and Engineering
- East China University of Science and Technology
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21
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Bianchi E, Capone B, Coluzza I, Rovigatti L, van Oostrum PDJ. Limiting the valence: advancements and new perspectives on patchy colloids, soft functionalized nanoparticles and biomolecules. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2017; 19:19847-19868. [DOI: 10.1039/c7cp03149a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Artistic representation of limited valance units consisting of a soft core (in blue) and a small number of flexible bonding patches (in orange).
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Affiliation(s)
- Emanuela Bianchi
- Faculty of Physics
- University of Vienna
- A-1090 Vienna
- Austria
- Institute for Theoretical Physics
| | - Barbara Capone
- Faculty of Physics
- University of Vienna
- A-1090 Vienna
- Austria
- Dipartimento di Scienze
| | - Ivan Coluzza
- Faculty of Physics
- University of Vienna
- A-1090 Vienna
- Austria
| | - Lorenzo Rovigatti
- Faculty of Physics
- University of Vienna
- A-1090 Vienna
- Austria
- Rudolf Peierls Centre for Theoretical Physics
| | - Peter D. J. van Oostrum
- Department of Nanobiotechnology
- Institute for Biologically Inspired Materials
- University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences
- A-1190 Vienna
- Austria
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22
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Borówko M, Rżysko W, Sokołowski S, Staszewski T. Phase behavior of decorated soft disks in two dimensions. J Chem Phys 2016; 145:224703. [DOI: 10.1063/1.4971184] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- M. Borówko
- Department for the Modeling of Physico-Chemical Processes, Maria Curie-Skłodowska University, 20-031 Lublin, Poland
| | - W. Rżysko
- Department for the Modeling of Physico-Chemical Processes, Maria Curie-Skłodowska University, 20-031 Lublin, Poland
| | - S. Sokołowski
- Department for the Modeling of Physico-Chemical Processes, Maria Curie-Skłodowska University, 20-031 Lublin, Poland
| | - T. Staszewski
- Department for the Modeling of Physico-Chemical Processes, Maria Curie-Skłodowska University, 20-031 Lublin, Poland
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23
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Blanco MA, Shen VK. Effect of the surface charge distribution on the fluid phase behavior of charged colloids and proteins. J Chem Phys 2016; 145:155102. [PMID: 27782465 PMCID: PMC5158025 DOI: 10.1063/1.4964613] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
A generic but simple model is presented to evaluate the effect of the heterogeneous surface charge distribution of proteins and zwitterionic nanoparticles on their thermodynamic phase behavior. By considering surface charges as continuous "patches," the rich set of surface patterns that is embedded in proteins and charged patchy particles can readily be described. This model is used to study the fluid phase separation of charged particles where the screening length is of the same order of magnitude as the particle size. In particular, two types of charged particles are studied: dipolar fluids and protein-like fluids. The former represents the simplest case of zwitterionic particles, whose charge distribution can be described by their dipole moment. The latter system corresponds to molecules/particles with complex surface charge arrangements such as those found in biomolecules. The results for both systems suggest a relation between the critical region, the strength of the interparticle interactions, and the arrangement of charged patches, where the critical temperature is strongly correlated to the magnitude of the dipole moment. Additionally, competition between attractive and repulsive charge-charge interactions seems to be related to the formation of fluctuating clusters in the dilute phase of dipolar fluids, as well as to the broadening of the binodal curve in protein-like fluids. Finally, a variety of self-assembled architectures are detected for dipolar fluids upon small changes to the charge distribution, providing the groundwork for studying the self-assembly of charged patchy particles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco A. Blanco
- National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD 20899
- Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology Research, University of Maryland, Rockville, MD 20850
| | - Vincent K. Shen
- National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD 20899
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24
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Hatch HW, Yang SY, Mittal J, Shen VK. Self-assembly of trimer colloids: effect of shape and interaction range. SOFT MATTER 2016; 12:4170-4179. [PMID: 27087490 PMCID: PMC4939708 DOI: 10.1039/c6sm00473c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
Abstract
Trimers with one attractive bead and two repulsive beads, similar to recently synthesized trimer patchy colloids, were simulated with flat-histogram Monte Carlo methods to obtain the stable self-assembled structures for different shapes and interaction potentials. Extended corresponding states principle was successfully applied to self-assembling systems in order to approximately collapse the results for models with the same shape, but different interaction range. This helps us directly compare simulation results with previous experiment, and good agreement was found between the two. In addition, a variety of self-assembled structures were observed by varying the trimer geometry, including spherical clusters, elongated clusters, monolayers, and spherical shells. In conclusion, our results help to compare simulations and experiments, via extended corresponding states, and we predict the formation of self-assembled structures for trimer shapes that have not been experimentally synthesized.
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Affiliation(s)
- Harold W. Hatch
- Chemical Informatics Research Group, Chemical Sciences Division, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, Maryland 20899-8380, USA;
| | - Seung-Yeob Yang
- Chemical Informatics Research Group, Chemical Sciences Division, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, Maryland 20899-8380, USA;
| | - Jeetain Mittal
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Lehigh University, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania 18015, USA;
| | - Vincent K. Shen
- Chemical Informatics Research Group, Chemical Sciences Division, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, Maryland 20899-8380, USA;
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25
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Rovigatti L, Capone B, Likos CN. Soft self-assembled nanoparticles with temperature-dependent properties. NANOSCALE 2016; 8:3288-95. [PMID: 26467391 DOI: 10.1039/c5nr04661k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
The fabrication of versatile building blocks that reliably self-assemble into desired ordered and disordered phases is amongst the hottest topics in contemporary materials science. To this end, microscopic units of varying complexity, aimed at assembling the target phases, have been thought, designed, investigated and built. Such a path usually requires laborious fabrication techniques, especially when specific functionalisation of the building blocks is required. Telechelic star polymers, i.e., star polymers made of a number of f di-block copolymers consisting of solvophobic and solvophilic monomers grafted on a central anchoring point, spontaneously self-assemble into soft patchy particles featuring attractive spots (patches) on the surface. Here we show that the tunability of such a system can be widely extended by controlling the physical and chemical parameters of the solution. Indeed, under fixed external conditions the self-assembly behaviour depends only on the number of arms and on the ratio of solvophobic to solvophilic monomers. However, changes in temperature and/or solvent quality make it possible to reliably change the number and size of the attractive patches. This allows the steering of the mesoscopic self-assembly behaviour without modifying the microscopic constituents. Interestingly, we also demonstrate that diverse combinations of the parameters can generate stars with the same number of patches but different radial and angular stiffness. This mechanism could provide a neat way of further fine-tuning the elastic properties of the supramolecular network without changing its topology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lorenzo Rovigatti
- Faculty of Physics, University of Vienna, Boltzmanngasse 5, A-1090 Vienna, Austria.
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26
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Li ZW, Zhu YL, Lu ZY, Sun ZY. A versatile model for soft patchy particles with various patch arrangements. SOFT MATTER 2016; 12:741-749. [PMID: 26510795 DOI: 10.1039/c5sm02125a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
We propose a simple and general mesoscale soft patchy particle model, which can felicitously describe the deformable and surface-anisotropic characteristics of soft patchy particles. This model can be used in dynamics simulations to investigate the aggregation behavior and mechanism of various types of soft patchy particles with tunable number, size, direction, and geometrical arrangement of the patches. To improve the computational efficiency of this mesoscale model in dynamics simulations, we give the simulation algorithm that fits the compute unified device architecture (CUDA) framework of NVIDIA graphics processing units (GPUs). The validation of the model and the performance of the simulations using GPUs are demonstrated by simulating several benchmark systems of soft patchy particles with 1 to 4 patches in a regular geometrical arrangement. Because of its simplicity and computational efficiency, the soft patchy particle model will provide a powerful tool to investigate the aggregation behavior of soft patchy particles, such as patchy micelles, patchy microgels, and patchy dendrimers, over larger spatial and temporal scales.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhan-Wei Li
- State Key Laboratory of Polymer Physics and Chemistry, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun 130022, China.
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27
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Lin XM, Sun Y, Shevchenko EV, Sankaranarayanan SKRS, John D, Fedin I, Bresme F, Möhwald H, Moriarty P, Sorensen CM, Law BM. Highlights of the Faraday Discussion on Nanoparticle Synthesis and Assembly, Argonne, USA, April 2015. Chem Commun (Camb) 2015; 51:13725-30. [PMID: 26281789 DOI: 10.1039/c5cc90369f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Xiao-Min Lin
- Center for Nanoscale Materials, Argonne National Laboratory, 9700 South Cass Avenue, Argonne, IL 60439, USA.
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