(201c) Programmable Self-Assembly of Nanoparticle Clusters Using DNA-Mediated Interactions

Nanoparticles have novel optical, electronic, magnetic and chemical properties due to their small size. Envisaged applications such as nanoplasmonics require the nanoparticles to be precisely arranged into structures with a specific overall shape. Approaches to bring about the self-assembly of micrometer size particles such as patchy regions or complementary shapes are not directly applicable to nanopartices. However, nanoparticles coated with ssDNA can form effective bonds with other particles through the hybridization of complementary strands. We have conducted computer simulations using a coarse-grained model to study the self-assembly of pre-programmed finite clusters from an initially homogeneous solution of these particles. Our designs produce the target cluster in nearly perfect yield and free of errors. In addition, by controlling the kinetic pathway the clusters are produced rapidly.

Research carried out in whole at the Center for Functional Nanomaterials, Brookhaven National Laboratory, which is supported by the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Basic Energy Sciences, under Contract No. DE-AC02-98CH10886.