2009/07/28 by Alex W. Wilber, Jonathan P. K. Doye, Ard A. Louis · 67 citations
Agricultural and Biological Sciences · Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology · Chemistry · Materials Science · Physics and Astronomy · #Chemical physics #Chemistry #Crystal structure #Crystallography #Dispersity #Dodecahedron #Energy landscape #Funnel #Materials science #Nanotechnology #Octahedron #Physics #Pickering emulsions and particle stabilization #Proteins in Food Systems #Self-assembly #Statistical physics #Surfactants and Colloidal Systems #Tetrahedron #Thermodynamics #cond-mat.soft #q-bio.BM
paper · pdf · doi:10.1063/1.3243580
published in The Journal of Chemical Physics 131(17), 175101 (American Institute of Physics) · 15 pages, 12 figures
arxiv created 2009/07/28 · openalex publication_date 2009/11/02 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/05
We apply a simple model system of patchy particles to study monodisperse self-assembly using the Platonic solids as target structures. We find marked differences between the assembly behaviors of the different systems. Tetrahedra, octahedral, and icosahedra assemble easily, while cubes are more challenging and dodecahedra do not assemble. We relate these differences to the kinetics and thermodynamics of assembly, with the formation of large disordered aggregates a particular important competitor to correct assembly. In particular, the free energy landscapes of those targets that are easy to assemble are funnel-like, whereas for the dodecahedral system the landscape is relatively flat with little driving force to facilitate escape from disordered aggregates.