Dissipative Disassembly Of Colloidal Microgel Crystals Driven By A Coupled Cyclic Reaction Network

Abstract

A plethora of natural systems rely on the consumption of chemical fuel or input of external energy to control the assembly and disassembly of functional structures on demand. While dissipative assembly has been demonstrated, the control of structural breakdown using a dissipative cycle remains almost unexplored. Here, we propose and realize a dissipative disassembly process using two coupled cyclic reactions, in which protons mediate the interaction between the cycles. We show how an ordered colloidal crystal, can cyclically transform into a disordered state by addition of energy to a chemical cycle, reversibly activating a photoacid. This cycle is coupled to the colloidal assembly cycle via the exchange of protons, which in turn trigger charging of the particles. This system is an experimental realization of a cyclic reaction-assembly network and its principle can be extended to other types of structure formation.

Publication Date

1-1-2018

Publication Title

Soft Matter

Volume

14

Issue

6

Number of Pages

910-915

Document Type

Article

Personal Identifier

scopus

DOI Link

https://doi.org/10.1039/c7sm02061a

Socpus ID

85041906824 (Scopus)

Source API URL

https://api.elsevier.com/content/abstract/scopus_id/85041906824

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