Controlled Molecular Assembly Via Dynamic Confinement of Solvent

Abstract

Assembly from ultrasmall solution droplets follows a different dynamic from that of larger scales. Using an independently controlled microfluidic probe in an atomic force microscope, subfemtoliter aqueous droplets containing polymers produce well-defined features with dimensions as small as tens of nanometers. The initial shape of the droplet and the concentration of solute within the droplet play significant roles in the final assembly of polymers due to the ultrafast evaporation rate and spatial confinement by the small droplets. These effects are used to control the final molecular assembly in terms of feature geometry and distribution and packing of individual molecules within the features. This work introduces new means of control over molecular assembly, bringing us closer to programmable synthesis for chemistry and materials science. The outcomes pave the way for three-dimensional (3D) nanoprinting in additive manufacturing.

Department(s)

Electrical and Computer Engineering

Keywords and Phrases

Atomic force microscopy; Polymers, Aqueous droplets; Evaporation rate; Final assembly; Microfluidic probes; Molecular assembly; Small droplets; Spatial confinement; Threedimensional (3-d), Drop formation

International Standard Serial Number (ISSN)

1948-7185

Document Type

Article - Journal

Document Version

Citation

File Type

text

Language(s)

English

Rights

© 2018 American Chemical Society (ACS), All rights reserved.

Publication Date

01 Nov 2018

PubMed ID

30336037

Link to Full Text

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