title: Sheet-like assemblies of spherical particles with point-symmetrical patches.
abstract: We report a computational study on the spontaneous self-assembly of spherical particles into two-dimensional crystals. The experimental observation of such structures stabilized by spherical objects appeared paradoxical so far. We implement patchy interactions with the patches point-symmetrically (icosahedral and cubic) arranged on the surface of the particle. In these conditions, preference for self-assembly into sheet-like structures is observed. We explain our findings in terms of the inherent symmetry of the patches and the competition between binding energy and vibrational entropy. The simulation results explain why hollow spherical shells observed in some Keplerate-type polyoxometalates (POM) appear. Our results also provide an explanation for the experimentally observed layer-by-layer growth of apoferritin--a quasi-spherical protein.
authors.affiliation: Van' t Hoff Laboratory for Physical and Colloid Chemistry, Debye Institute, Utrecht University, Padualaan 8, 3584 CH Utrecht, The Netherlands. ethaya@iitm.ac.in
authors.forename: Ethayaraja
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Mani
authors.forename: Eduardo
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Sanz
authors.forename: Soumyajit
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Roy
authors.forename: Marjolein
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dijkstra
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Groenewold
authors.forename: Willem K
authors.initials: WK
authors.lastname: Kegel
mesh_terms: D008958:Models, Molecular; D008968:Molecular Conformation; D013499:Surface Properties; D013816:Thermodynamics; D017973:Tungsten Compounds / Q000737:chemistry; D014732:Vibration; D000099294:Polyoxometalates
chemical_list: D017973:Tungsten Compounds; C102296:polyoxometalate I; D000099294:Polyoxometalates