Scientists have learned to collect gems from microparticles using an electrostatic charge

Researchers have discovered a new method of self-assembly of microparticles, which allows the production of new functional materials using only electrostatic charge.

The essence of the self-assembly process is thattiny particles recognize each other and communicate with each other in a predetermined way. This happens after a change in conditions or the occurrence of an event.

One approach to programming particles to self-assemble involves covering them with DNA strands that determine where and how they communicate. However, herequires the use of a significant amount of genetic material, which makes it expensive and limits the scale of the final products.

A team of chemists from New York Universitydiscovered a simpler method of self-assembly. In the study, they found that, through electrostatic charge, ordinary microparticles can spontaneously organize into highly ordered crystalline materials that mimic gemstones such as opal.

According to scientists, this method is similar to the processformation of salt crystals. Once in water, it dissolves into negatively charged chloride ions and positively charged sodium ions. When the water evaporates, the separated particles independently recombine into salt crystals.

In their work, instead of individual atoms, chemistsused colloidal particles that are thousands of times larger. When mixed under the right conditions, they behave like ions and, under the action of the natural surface charge of the particles, they organize themselves into a crystal.

The team used self-assembly to createcolloidal materials that imitate not only rock salt, but also opals. At the same time, their internal microstructure is similar to the original one and also interacts with light.

Recently, scientists have also developed a new structure of a plate-like nanolattice, which has the highest mechanical strength to date, higher than that of diamond.

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