Materials Design: Long-range interactions in Non-equilibrium Self-assembly
Abstract
Self-assembly is emerging as the future for manufacturing engineered devices and systems. The potential for this technology can be seen in the natural world around us, which successfully utilizes self-assembly to shape and re-shape itself. While great strides have been made in the understanding of fundamental principles driving self-assembly, few examples of self-assembled engineered systems or devices exist outside of research labs. In this project, we aim to focus on one of the key challenges in developing engineered self-assembly systems - targeted assembly of non-equilibrium structures with specific functional properties. We will combine computational and theoretical modeling with experimental analyses of 2D and 3D self-assembling systems to understand how self-assembling building blocks can be programmed to organize and maintain themselves in desired configurations far from the thermodynamic equilibrium. Our central hypothesis is that the inclusion of long-range interactions between the self-assembling building blocks, with active driving forces, can provide a previously unexplored tuning knob to constrain and direct the non-equilibrium conformations achievable by the system. External driving forces arising from chemical, mechanical, or electromagnetic interactions between self-assembling building blocks and their environment can push a given self-assembling system into different non-equilibrium conformations and maintain it there. However, the available phase space for these non-equilibrium configurations is large, and it is difficult to predict how to move or confine the system in targeted conformations. In biological systems, both short-range mechanical and chemical interactions and long-range chemical and electrical signaling drive the organization and assembly of individual cells into tissues and organs. We hypothesize that while the configurations into which building blocks self-assemble are dictated by short-range interactions between the building blocks, the introduction of long-range interactions between the building blocks will couple the outcomes of localized self-assembly and restrict the configurational space the system can end up in. This central hypothesis will be investigated by: (1) Developing a computational statistical mechanics framework to analyze how long-range interactions between driven building blocks influence the overall free energy landscape of the system and the stable configurations the system can take; (2) Introducing long-range interactions via electromagnetic, chemical, and mechanical signaling within biomimetic and synthetic 2D and 3D non-equilibrium systems previously developed to study far from equilibrium self-assembly and stimuli-driven phase-separations; And (3) Using statistical learning and information theory to combine the theoretical predictions and experimental outcomes into a fundamental ?short-range interactions coupled with long-range communications? approach to tunable, non-equilibrium self-assembly. This project led by San Diego State University will support the training of students from minority communities (~34% of the student population) and veterans (~3% of the student population, SDSU consistently ranked among the ?Best for Vets? colleges) in the cutting-edge cross-disciplinary field of self-assembled systems and materials. In collaboration with Columbia University, one of the top Ivy League institutions in the nation, our students will receive hands-on training in computational and experimental mechanics, materials science, bioengineering, and biomimetics. Building on the continuous past engagement and success of the involved faculty, the faculty and graduate students involved in this project will leverage the impact on minority workforce development by mentoring undergraduate and high school students.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Aug 23, 2023
- Source ID
- W911NF2310329
Entities
People
- Parag Katira
Organizations
- Army Contracting Command
- Salk Institute for Biological Studies
- United States Army