Dissertation

Self-assembly of flexible and rigid structures: from colloidal molecules to lattices

Self-assembly offers a promising route to create complex structures and materials using simple building blocks. Through, colloidal self-assembly, we can understand the governing principles of the self-assembly process and unlock its potential in diverse applications in materials science, photonics and electronics.

Author: Y.P. Shelke
Date: 24 October 2023
Links: Thesis in Leiden Repository

The research outlined in this thesis contributes to our understanding of self-assembly processes in binary colloidal systems. It also sheds light on how the shape, size, and number ratio of colloidal particles impact the final structure of colloidal molecules in both electrostatic and DNA-functionalized colloidal assembly, as well as flexible colloidal lattices. This work showcases the potential for creating novel flexible materials with tailored properties. The research findings also provide fundamental insights into the governing mechanism of self-assembly and the route to the development of functional materials and devices with controlled properties and behavior.