Intelligent Systems
Note: This research group has relocated.

Non-Equilibrium Assembly of Light-Activated Colloidal Mixtures

2017

Article

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The collective phenomena exhibited by artificial active matter systems present novel routes to fabricating out-of-equilibrium microscale assemblies. Here, the crystallization of passive silica colloids into well-controlled 2D assemblies is shown, which is directed by a small number of self-propelled active colloids. The active colloids are titania–silica Janus particles that are propelled when illuminated by UV light. The strength of the attractive interaction and thus the extent of the assembled clusters can be regulated by the light intensity. A remarkably small number of the active colloids is sufficient to induce the assembly of the dynamic crystals. The approach produces rationally designed colloidal clusters and crystals with controllable sizes, shapes, and symmetries. This multicomponent active matter system offers the possibility of obtaining structures and assemblies that cannot be found in equilibrium systems.

Author(s): Singh, Dhruv P. and Choudhury, Udit and Fischer, Peer and Mark, Andrew G.
Journal: Advanced Materials
Volume: 29
Pages: 1701328
Year: 2017
Month: June
Day: 20

Department(s): Micro, Nano, and Molecular Systems
Research Project(s): A wireless robot arm and the smallest micro- and nano-swimmers
Bibtex Type: Article (article)

DOI: 10.1002/adma.201701328
Note: 32
State: Published
URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/adma.201701328

BibTex

@article{2017singh,
  title = {Non-Equilibrium Assembly of Light-Activated Colloidal Mixtures},
  author = {Singh, Dhruv P. and Choudhury, Udit and Fischer, Peer and Mark, Andrew G.},
  journal = {Advanced Materials},
  volume = {29},
  pages = {1701328},
  month = jun,
  year = {2017},
  note = {32},
  doi = {10.1002/adma.201701328},
  url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/adma.201701328},
  month_numeric = {6}
}