Packing & Assembling Polyhedra: New directions in colloidal matter

Entropy can order shapes into complex structures, even in the absence of explicit attractive forces. As such, shape is important in the self assembly and crystallization of colloids, nanoparticles, proteins and viruses, and in the packing of granular matter.  Using computer simulations of nearly 200 different hard polyhedra, including families of tetrahedra, we demonstrate the emergence of entropic bonds and show how simple measures of building block shape and local order in fluid phases can predict crystals and quasicrystals, liquid crystals, rotator crystals, and glasses.  From these findings, we propose design rules for entropically patchy particles.

Entropy can order shapes into complex structures, even in the absence of explicit attractive forces. As such, shape is important in the self assembly and crystallization of colloids, nanoparticles, proteins and viruses, and in the packing of granular matter.  Using computer simulations of nearly 200 different hard polyhedra, including families of tetrahedra, we demonstrate the emergence of entropic bonds and show how simple measures of building block shape and local order in fluid phases can predict crystals and quasicrystals, liquid crystals, rotator crystals, and glasses.  From these findings, we propose design rules for entropically patchy particles.

Event Details

Date/Time:

  • Date: 
    Monday, September 24, 2012 - 11:00am

Location:
Marcus Nano Conf. Room 1116