title: Modular assembly of superstructures from polyphenol-functionalized building blocks.
abstract: The organized assembly of particles into superstructures is typically governed by specific molecular interactions or external directing factors associated with the particle building blocks, both of which are particle-dependent. These superstructures are of interest to a variety of fields because of their distinct mechanical, electronic, magnetic and optical properties. Here, we establish a facile route to a diverse range of superstructures based on the polyphenol surface-functionalization of micro- and nanoparticles, nanowires, nanosheets, nanocubes and even cells. This strategy can be used to access a large number of modularly assembled superstructures, including core-satellite, hollow and hierarchically organized supraparticles. Colloidal-probe atomic force microscopy and molecular dynamics simulations provide detailed insights into the role of surface functionalization and how this facilitates superstructure construction. Our work provides a platform for the rapid generation of superstructured assemblies across a wide range of length scales, from nanometres to centimetres.
authors.affiliation: ARC Centre of Excellence in Convergent Bio-Nano Science and Technology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia.|Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia.
authors.forename: Junling
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-2948-880X
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.affiliation: ARC Centre of Excellence in Convergent Bio-Nano Science and Technology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia.|Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia.
authors.forename: Blaise L
authors.initials: BL
authors.lastname: Tardy
authors.affiliation: School of Engineering, RMIT University, GPO Box 2476, Melbourne, Victoria 3001, Australia.
authors.forename: Andrew J
authors.identifier: 0000-0003-0904-6630
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Christofferson
authors.affiliation: ARC Centre of Excellence in Convergent Bio-Nano Science and Technology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia.|Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia.
authors.forename: Yunlu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Dai
authors.affiliation: ARC Centre of Excellence in Convergent Bio-Nano Science and Technology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia.
authors.forename: Joseph J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Richardson
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia.
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia.
authors.forename: Ming
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.affiliation: ARC Centre of Excellence in Convergent Bio-Nano Science and Technology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia.|Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia.
authors.forename: Yi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ju
authors.affiliation: ARC Centre of Excellence in Convergent Bio-Nano Science and Technology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia.|Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia.
authors.forename: Jiwei
authors.identifier: 0000-0003-1018-4336
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cui
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia.
authors.forename: Raymond R
authors.initials: RR
authors.lastname: Dagastine
authors.affiliation: School of Engineering, RMIT University, GPO Box 2476, Melbourne, Victoria 3001, Australia.
authors.forename: Irene
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Yarovsky
authors.affiliation: ARC Centre of Excellence in Convergent Bio-Nano Science and Technology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia.|Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia.
authors.forename: Frank
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-0197-497X
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Caruso