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Science 9 January 2009:
Vol. 323. no. 5911, pp. 237 - 240
DOI: 10.1126/science.1165607
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Reports

Self-Organization of a Mesoscale Bristle into Ordered, Hierarchical Helical Assemblies

Boaz Pokroy, Sung H. Kang, L. Mahadevan, Joanna Aizenberg*

Mesoscale hierarchical helical structures with diverse functions are abundant in nature. Here we show how spontaneous helicity can be induced in a synthetic polymeric nanobristle assembling in an evaporating liquid. We use a simple theoretical model to characterize the geometry, stiffness, and surface properties of the pillars that favor the adhesive self-organization of bundles with pillars wound around each other. The process can be controlled to yield highly ordered helical clusters with a unique structural hierarchy that arises from the sequential assembly of self-similar coiled building blocks over multiple length scales. We demonstrate their function in the context of self-assembly into previously unseen structures with uniform, periodic patterns and controlled handedness and as an efficient particle-trapping and adhesive system.

School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA.

* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: jaiz{at}seas.harvard.edu

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THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES:
From the Cover: Rational design of helical architectures.
D. Chakrabarti, S. N. Fejer, and D. J. Wales (2009)
PNAS 106, 20164-20167
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