Self-assembly fundamentals

Fundamental research to support materials assembly and fabrication probably centers on the seienee and technology of adhesion, although research on mechanical assembly driven by ehemieal aetion, sueh as the self-assembly of large molecules or particles, also holds promise for solving some fabrieation problems. 

What are the fundamental physical and chemical principles that underpin peptide self-assembly ... 

The reviews collected in this book convey some of the themes recurrent in nano-colloid science self-assembly, constraction of supramolecular architecture, nanoconfmement and compartmentalization, measurement and control of interfacial forces, novel synthetic materials, and computer simulation. They also reveal the interaction of a spectrum of disciplines in which physics, chemistry, biology, and materials science intersect. Not only is the vast range of industrial and technological applications depicted, but it is also shown how this new way of thinking has generated exciting developments in fundamental science. Some of the chapters also skirt the frontiers, where there are still unanswered questions. 

Nuzzo RG, Zegarski BR, Dubois LH (1987) Fundamental studies of the chemisorption of organosulfur compounds on Au(lll). Implications for molecular self-assembly on gold surfaces. J Am Chem Soc 109 733-740... 

Although the notion of monomolecular surface layers is of fundamental importance to all phases of surface science, surfactant monolayers at the aqueous surface are so unique as virtually to constitute a special state of matter. For the many types of amphipathic molecules that meet the simple requirements for monolayer formation it is possible, using quite simple but elegant techniques over a century old, to obtain quantitative information on intermolecular forces and, furthermore, to manipulate them at will. The special driving force for self-assembly of surfactant molecules as monolayers, micelles, vesicles, or cell membranes (Fendler, 1982) when brought into contact with water is the hydrophobic effect. 

Grosso, D. Cagnol, F. Soler-Illia, G. Crepaldi, E. L. Amenitsch, H. Brunet-Bruneau, A. Bourgeois, A. Sanchez, C. 2004. Fundamentals of mesostructuring through evaporation-induced self-assembly. Adv. Funct. Mater. 14 309-322. 

During the course of the article, we will present evidence that the histones constitute part of a self-assembly system (Section IV). In the absence of DNA they retain the information to interact with each other to form a hierarchy of structures with dimensions, periodicities, and intermolecular contacts, compatible with what is known about the protein core of chromatin. This strongly suggests that histone-histone interactions have a fundamental role in chromatin structure. 

Caspar and Klug (1962) made an important distinction between two fundamental types of assembly processes. True self-assembly was conceptualized as a series of reactions relying on the propensity of subunits to condense and form assembled structures strictly as a result of the information encoded in the architecture of the components. On the other hand, template-directed assembly may be considered as a process depending on the presence of a separate template that imparts structural constraints on the pathway for constructing the final assembled structure. True self-assembly is observed, for example, in the formation of many oligomeric proteins. Indeed, Friedman and Beychok (1979) have re-... 

The self-assembly of this fundamental building block of chromatin is a topic of enduring interest. DNase I digestion experiments as well as spectroscopic studies indicate that nucleosome core particles can be reconstituted by salt-jump (i.e., diluting NaCl concentration from 2.0 to 0.2 M) or by direct mixing of histones and DNA at the lower salt concentration. Daban and Cantor used the increase in eximer fluorescence to investigate the reassembly process in terms of a two-state model ... 

The use of specific interactions to control polymer structure and properties is a rapidly emerging field. We have assembled a group of authors at the forefront of this field that are smdying both the fundamental science inherent in polymer self-assembly and applications of this strategy to functional systems. This book is designed for researchers in a wide range of areas, and features both fundamental aspects and applications of these fascinating systems. 

The book is divided into three sections. The first section provides a general overview of the fundamentals of supramolecular polymers. In Chapter 1, Thibault and Rotello provide a brief introduction to these systems and in Chapter 2, Azagarsamy, Krishnamoorthy, and Tha5mmanavan describe the rapidly emerging area of amphiphilicity in polymer and dendrimers self-assembly. Interactions at interfaces are sometimes similar but often quite different than those in solution, a topic covered by Loveless, Kersey, and Craig in Chapter 3. 

Micelles are spontaneously formed by most surfactants (especially single-chained ones) even at fairly low concentrations in water, whereas at higher surfactant concentrations, with or without the addition of an oil (e.g. octane) or co-surfactant (e.g. pentanol), a diverse range of structures can be formed. These various structures include micelles, multibilayers (liquid crystals), inverted micelles, emulsions (swollen micelles) and a range of microemulsions. In each case, the self-assembled structures are determined by the relative amounts of surfactant, hydrocarbon oil, co-surfactant (e.g. pentanol) and water, and the fundamental requirement that there be no molecular contact between hydrocarbon and water. 

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