A new study reveals a novel method for engineering colloidal quasicrystals with DNA-modified building blocks. The implications of this breakthrough are far-reaching, potentially providing a blueprint for the controlled synthesis of other complex structures that were previously thought to be out of reach.
The Mirkin Group at Northwestern University’s International Institute for Nanotechnology, in collaboration with the University of Michigan and the Center for Cooperative Research in Biomaterials- CIC biomaGUNE, has developed a novel method for engineering colloidal quasicrystals using DNA-modified building blocks. Their findings will appear in the journal Nature Materials.
Scientists have long been perplexed by quasicrystals, which are distinguished by ordered but non-repeating patterns. “The existence of quasicrystals has been a mystery for decades, and their discovery was duly recognized with a Nobel Prize,” said Chad Mirkin, the study’s lead researcher. “Although there are now several known examples, discovered in nature or through serendipitous routes, our research demystifies their formation and more importantly shows how we can harness the programmable nature of DNA to design and assemble quasicrystals deliberately.”
Decahedral nanoparticles possess a distinctive five-fold symmetry that challenges the conventional periodic tiling norms. By leveraging the programmable capabilities of DNA, we were able to direct the assembly of these nanoparticles into a robust quasicrystalline structure.
Chad Mirkin
The study’s focal point was the assembly of decahedral nanoparticles (NPs) – particles with ten sides – using DNA as a guiding scaffold. The team made a remarkable discovery using a combination of computer simulations and meticulous experiments: these decahedral NPs can be orchestrated to form quasicrystalline structures with intriguing five- and six-coordinated motifs, culminating in the formation of a dodecagonal quasicrystal (DDQC).
“Decahedral nanoparticles possess a distinctive five-fold symmetry that challenges the conventional periodic tiling norms,” according to Mirkin. “By leveraging the programmable capabilities of DNA, we were able to direct the assembly of these nanoparticles into a robust quasicrystalline structure.”
To facilitate assembly, the researchers functionalized decahedral gold nanoparticles with short, double-stranded DNA and used a precisely controlled cooling process. The resulting quasicrystalline superlattices had medium-range quasiperiodic order, with rigorous structural analyses confirming the presence of twelve-fold symmetry and a distinct triangle-square tiling pattern, both of which are characteristics of a DDQC.
“Interestingly, unlike most axial quasicrystals, the tiling pattern of the layers in the decahedron quasicrystal does not repeat exactly from one layer to the next. Instead, a significant proportion of the tiles differ in a random manner. The randomness creates a disorder that helps to stabilize the crystal,” said Sharon Glotzer, co-corresponding author of the study and chair of the University of Michigan’s department of chemical engineering.
The implications of this breakthrough are far-reaching, potentially providing a blueprint for the controlled synthesis of other complex structures that were previously thought to be out of reach. As the scientific community delves into the limitless possibilities of programmable matter, this research paves the way for transformative breakthroughs and applications in a variety of scientific domains.
“By successfully engineering colloidal quasicrystals, we have reached a significant milestone in nanoscience. Our work not only sheds light on the design and construction of intricate nanoscale structures, but it also opens up a world of possibilities for advanced materials and innovative nanotechnology applications,” said Luis Liz-Marzán, a senior coauthor of the CIC biomaGUNE study.
