title: Sequence controlled self-knotting colloidal patchy polymers.
abstract: Knotted chains are a promising class of polymers with many applications for materials science and drug delivery. Here we introduce an experimentally realizable model for the design of chains with controllable topological properties. Recently, we have developed a systematic methodology to construct self-assembling chains of simple particles, with final structures fully controlled by the sequence of particles along the chain. The individual particles forming the chain are colloids decorated with mutually interacting patches, which can be manufactured in the laboratory with current technology. Our methodology is applied to the design of sequences folding into self-knotting chains, in which the end monomers are by construction always close together in space. The knotted structure can then be externally locked simply by controlling the interaction between the end monomers, paving the way to applications in the design and synthesis of active materials and novel carriers for drugs delivery.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Physics, University of Vienna, Boltzmanngasse 5, 1090 Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Ivan
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Coluzza
authors.affiliation: Department of Nanobiotechnology, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna, Muthgasse 11, 1190 Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Peter D J
authors.initials: PD
authors.lastname: van Oostrum
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Physics, University of Vienna, Boltzmanngasse 5, 1090 Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Capone
authors.affiliation: Department of Nanobiotechnology, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna, Muthgasse 11, 1190 Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Erik
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Reimhult
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Physics, University of Vienna, Boltzmanngasse 5, 1090 Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Christoph
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Dellago
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D003102:Colloids / Q000737:chemistry*; D008956:Models, Chemical; D008958:Models, Molecular; D011108:Polymers / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D003102:Colloids; D011108:Polymers