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arXiv · 1301.1098

DNA-Programmed Mesoscopic Architecture

Jonathan D. Halverson·Alexei V. Tkachenko
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Abstract

We study the problem of the self-assembly of nanoparticles (NPs) into finite mesoscopic structures with a programmed local morphology and complex overall shape. Our proposed building blocks are NPs directionally-functionalized with DNA. The combination of directionality and selectivity of interactions allows one to avoid unwanted metastable configurations which have been shown to lead to slow self-assembly kinetics even in much simpler systems. With numerical simulations, we show that a variety of target mesoscopic objects can be designed and self-assembled in near perfect yield. They include cubes, pyramids, boxes and even an Empire State Building model. We summarize our findings with a set of design strategies that lead to the successful self-assembly of a wide range of mesostructures.

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Jonathan D. Halverson, Alexei V. Tkachenko. 2013-11-01. DNA-Programmed Mesoscopic Architecture. https://doi.org/10.1103/physreve.87.062310

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