title: Algorithmic design of self-folding polyhedra.
abstract: Self-assembly has emerged as a paradigm for highly parallel fabrication of complex three-dimensional structures. However, there are few principles that guide a priori design, yield, and defect tolerance of self-assembling structures. We examine with experiment and theory the geometric principles that underlie self-folding of submillimeter-scale higher polyhedra from two-dimensional nets. In particular, we computationally search for nets within a large set of possibilities and then test these nets experimentally. Our main findings are that (i) compactness is a simple and effective design principle for maximizing the yield of self-folding polyhedra; and (ii) shortest paths from 2D nets to 3D polyhedra in the configuration space are important for rationalizing experimentally observed folding pathways. Our work provides a model problem amenable to experimental and theoretical analysis of design principles and pathways in self-assembly.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA.
authors.forename: Shivendra
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pandey
authors.forename: Margaret
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ewing
authors.forename: Andrew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kunas
authors.forename: Nghi
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Nguyen
authors.forename: David H
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Gracias
authors.forename: Govind
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Menon
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D008958:Models, Molecular; D008968:Molecular Conformation