Nano-to-micro self-assembly using shear flow devices

This work aims at developing a new technique to precisely assemble nano-materials into micro-or even meso-scale devices. For example, our long-term goal is to use massively architected motor-molecules to build muscle-like actuators in which these molecules work in parallel to output large forces. As an important first step, we report here the successful development of a much improved shear-flow-enhanced self-assembly method over the baseline spontaneous assembly method in test tubes. More specifically, we have engineered special thiolated model molecules (bisdisulfide/C₂₈H₃₄O₄S₄) and demonstrated the nano-to-micro self-assembly through flow interface using thiol-gold bonding chemistry. Our method has produced gold/molecule aggregates as big as 50 μm that are completely made of 30 nm gold nanoparticles and 3 nm model molecules.