(403a) Programmable Assembly of Multiflavored DNA-Functionalized Particles

In this talk, I will describe recent work from my group in which we leverage self-assembly of DNA-functionalized particles (DFPs) for the design of binary superlattices. In conventional binary superlattice formation, particle size asymmetry is often the most important control variable which allows for the creation of lattices with varying component stoichiometries such as AB, AB2, AB3, etc. I will discuss our synergistic computational and experimental efforts to remove this constraint on fine tunability of particle size modality, and instead demonstrate how flexibility afforded by DNA-mediated interactions can be used to tune interparticle interactions between particles of the same size but separately tailored function to assemble particles into various crystalline morphologies. In the two-dimensional case, we demonstrate the ability to dial in a wide range of structures, including the formation of checkerboard (square), alternating string (hexagonal), honeycomb (hexagonal), Kagome and square Kagome (hexagonal) lattices. Beyond tailoring the 'flavor' of interparticle interactions, I will also discuss the formation of open lattices by tuning the range of interparticle interactions, which opens new avenues for the design of hierarchically structured and crystalline porous materials through long-sought after bottom-up strategies for building block assembly.