Internal Seminar: Nicolas Moreno, Hierarchical self-assembly of soft-patchy nanoparticles: Insights from computational simulations

Internal Seminar: Nicolas Moreno, Post-Doctoral Researcher, Mathematics, Mechanics, and Materials Unit (Fried Unit).

Title: Hierarchical self-assembly of soft-patchy nanoparticles: Insights from computational simulations

Abstract:

The hierarchical self-assembly of block copolymers in solution is a successful bottom-up methodology to design microstructures with prescribed topology and shape. During the manufacture of these microstructures, soft-patchy nanoparticles emerge as intermediate subunits. Soft-patchy particles can be seen as mesoscale models of simple molecules, and the interaction between those molecules is governed by the directionality of the bond-forming patches. Due to the deformability and anisotropic nature of the particles interaction, the morphologies of the microstructures attainable via the self-assembly of soft-patchy nanoparticles are significantly more complex than those obtained with rigid-isotropic nanoparticles. One of the most captivating features of the soft patchy-nanoparticle idea is its resemblance to biological structures such organelles, virus, and cells.

The characteristic shape, size, and distribution of the patches in these subunits are crucial controlling the growth of the microstructures. However, the full understanding of the critical balance between thermodynamic and kinetic factors that govern the nanoparticle-formation process is still elusive. Here, using theoretical and computational models of block copolymers in solution, we present a set of rules to program desired shapes on the nanoparticles and predict their assembly. The phase diagram predicted by our computational model is consistent with the characteristic nanoparticle shapes experimentally identified. Our results provide new insights into the intriguing mechanism driving the morphology of nanoscale objects for synthetic and biological systems.

Pizza and soft drinks will be served afterwards (please bring a mug!). We hope to see you there!

Sincerely,

Internal Seminar Organizing Committee:

Marylka Yoe Uusisaari​

Yasha Neiman

Rob Campbell

Margaret Mars Brisbin

Maéva Techer

Jigyasa Arora

Yuka Suzuki

Andreas Thomasen

Kun-Lung Li