title: Emergence of reconfigurable wires and spinners via dynamic self-assembly.
abstract: Dissipative colloidal materials use energy to generate and maintain structural complexity. The energy injection rate, and properties of the environment are important control parameters that influence the outcome of dynamic self-assembly. Here we demonstrate that dispersions of magnetic microparticles confined at the air-liquid interface, and energized by a uniaxial in-plane alternating magnetic field, self-assemble into a variety of structures that range from pulsating clusters and single-particle-thick wires to dynamic arrays of spinners (self-assembled short chains) rotating in either direction. The spinners emerge via spontaneous breaking of the uniaxial symmetry of the energizing magnetic field. Demonstration of the formation and disaggregation of particle assemblies suggests strategies to form new meso-scale structures with the potential to perform functions such as mixing and sensing.
authors: Complex Matter Department, Jozef Stefan Institute, Jamova 39, 1000 Ljubliana, Slovenia.
authors: Gasper
authors: G
authors: Kokot
authors: 1] Materials Science Division, Argonne National Laboratory, 9700 South Cass Avenue, Argonne, IL 60439, USA [2] Department of Engineering Science and Applied Mathematics Northwestern University 2145 Sheridan Road, Evanston, IL 60208, USA.
authors: David
authors: D
authors: Piet
authors: Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University, 12 Oxford Street, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA.
authors: George M
authors: GM
authors: Whitesides
authors: 1] Materials Science Division, Argonne National Laboratory, 9700 South Cass Avenue, Argonne, IL 60439, USA [2] Department of Engineering Science and Applied Mathematics Northwestern University 2145 Sheridan Road, Evanston, IL 60208, USA.
authors: Igor S
authors: IS
authors: Aranson
authors: Materials Science Division, Argonne National Laboratory, 9700 South Cass Avenue, Argonne, IL 60439, USA.
authors: Alexey
authors: A
authors: Snezhko