All articles tagged with #self assembly
Researchers have achieved the first real-time, molecular-level observation of virus-like particle (VLP) self-assembly by combining mass photometry with single-molecule trapping. The study demonstrates that assembly is driven by weak, reversible interactions that stochastically select specific topological intermediates, resolving a decades-long gap in understanding viral capsid dynamics.
Addy Pross argues that life is a distinct, dynamic state of matter, not just a collection of chemical compounds. He contends that the inability of physics to explain biological self-assembly stems from a failure to recognize life as a kinetic state where molecular components are constantly replaced, unlike static thermodynamic states like solids or liquids.
A Nature Chemistry study reports a ribosome-display–selected Nanofitin that binds a biotinylated helical aromatic foldamer with about 92 nM affinity, forming a well-defined 1:1 complex whose interface (>700 Å^2) enables modular assembly of discrete and extended protein–foldamer architectures. The work demonstrates foldamer–protein dimers, two-fold protein–foldamer constructs, cyclic assemblies, and higher-order lattices, validated by X-ray, NMR, MS, and CD. This establishes aromatic foldamers as large, programmable interfaces to organize proteins with precise spatial control, opening paths to foldamer–protein nanocages and porous lattices.
Researchers introduce self-assembled contacts that convert standard semiconductor-fabricated device structures into pristine molecule–metal interfaces, enabling over 1,000 electrically active metal–molecule–metal devices with yields up to 99% and stability across 10^5 measurement cycles, even for layers thinner than 1 nm. In situ Raman confirms molecular integrity, and the platform scales to system-level use, demonstrated by vector–matrix multiplication in a crossbar array of self-rectified molecular memory devices, bridging self-assembly with top-down manufacturing for scalable molecular electronics.
Chalmers University researchers have developed a simple platform using micrometer-sized gold flakes in a salt solution between two gold-coated glass plates. When illuminated, light trapped in nanometer-scale liquid cavities creates color changes that reveal the balance between Casimir attraction and electrostatic repulsion, enabling direct study of nanoscale surface forces and self-assembly with potential applications in medicine, biosensing, and materials science.
Israeli researchers at Tel Aviv University discovered that particles rotating in opposite directions within a fluid spontaneously form active, chain-like structures resembling polymers, which can move and reorganize on their own, providing insights into natural phenomena and potential applications in smart materials and microscopic robotics.
The article introduces a bottom-up atomic stencilling method to create highly precise and uniform patchy nanoparticles with diverse surface patterns, achieved through facet-selective iodide masking and polymer grafting, enabling advanced self-assembly into ordered superlattices and broad applications in nanotechnology.
Researchers have developed neural cellular automata (NCAs) that can reverse-engineer rules to self-assemble into desired shapes and regenerate after damage, mimicking biological processes and offering potential applications in medicine, engineering, and computing.
Researchers used advanced imaging and machine learning to uncover the intricate, foam-like structure of the extracellular matrix in Volvox algae, revealing how simple cells coordinate to form complex, spherical multicellular organisms despite noisy individual behaviors, providing new insights into developmental biology.
Researchers at Columbia University have developed a robotic system that can self-assemble, grow, and reconfigure by 'eating' other robots, inspired by biological metabolism, with potential future applications in building structures like lunar colonies. The project explores the concept of robotic metabolism and survivability, though it currently lacks real-world utility and diverse modules, aiming instead to develop autonomous, adaptable robotic ecosystems.
Scientists at Columbia University have developed the Truss Link, a robot that can grow and heal by consuming and merging with parts of other robots, enabling it to adapt and perform better, with potential applications in various fields including research and rescue.,
Researchers have developed a novel robot design inspired by the "Cheerios effect," which involves the natural clumping of floating objects due to surface tension and buoyancy. By using ethanol to power tiny robots across liquid surfaces, these devices can potentially perform various environmental or industrial tasks. The study, posted on the physics arXiv, highlights how the "Cheerios effect" can facilitate self-assembly of these robots, leveraging capillary action and surface tension to enhance their movement and clustering capabilities.
MIT has developed a modular habitat called Momo that self-assembles on the moon, featuring an aluminum frame and high-density polyethylene membrane, designed to support NASA's Artemis III mission and future lunar settlements.
Scientists have created the world's tightest molecular knot, a trefoil made of 54 atoms, which is 15 atoms smaller than the previous record. The accidental discovery, detailed in a study published in Nature Communications, has practical implications for understanding DNA and other naturally knotting molecules in the human body.
Researchers have developed a new method for manufacturing semiconductor devices using self-assembly and surface forces. By harnessing the pull-in instabilities between nearby objects, the researchers were able to fabricate nanostructures with few- or sub-nanometer dimensions. They demonstrated the application of this method by creating photonic nanocavities that confine light in air gaps in silicon membranes with aspect ratios exceeding 100. The self-assembled nanocavities exhibited high-quality factors and small mode volumes, surpassing previous experiments on dielectric cavities. The researchers also successfully integrated the self-assembled devices with photonic circuits, demonstrating the scalability and potential for interfacing with top-down planar technology.