Experts can use new methods to create new crystals that are not found in nature

According to a report from the American Physicist Organization Network on October 14 (Beijing time), Northwestern University developed a new method to use nanoparticles as "atoms" and DNA (DNA) as "chemical bonds" according to certain natural conditions. The atomic lattice in the crystal creates crystals that can produce even completely new crystals that were not found in nature. According to this method and basic design rules, people may create a variety of new materials for use in catalysts, electronic devices, optical devices, biomedical and power generation, storage and conversion technologies. The study was published in the October 14 issue of Science.

"We can control the pattern of crystallization, which is in many ways more powerful than the atomization of atoms in nature and laboratories." Director of the Institute for International Nanotechnology, Northwest University, and Professor of Chemistry at Weinberger College of Arts and Technology, Chad Milr Kim said, "We are compiling a new periodic table of crystal types. According to the design rules, using nanoparticles as 'artificial atoms' will change by controlling the size, shape and type of nanoparticles and their position in the given crystal lattice. The length of DNA produces almost infinite tunability. We can create completely new materials beyond those defined by nature."

The researchers explained that a variety of crystal structures can be formed by combining different sizes of nanoparticles and different lengths of DNA strands. After mixing and heating, the assembled particles transform from an initial disordered state to an ordered state, and each particle is fixed in its own position according to the lattice structure. In their paper, they proposed six design rules that predict the relative stability of different crystal structures when the particle size and DNA length are known, and designed 41 crystal structures according to the rules, showing 9 completely different crystal symmetries. Sex.

The researchers pointed out that the design rule provides a method that can independently adjust each related crystal parameter, including particle size (5-60 nm), crystal symmetry and lattice parameters (20-150 nm). These 41 crystals are only A small part of the sample. The method is also applicable to nanoparticles of various chemical compositions, and the particle type and its structural symmetry determine the nature of the crystal. In developing new materials, this method provides an ideal means of predicting and controlling the physical properties of materials.

Mirkin believes that there will soon be a software that will help scientists pick particles and DNA and create crystalline materials of almost any structure as needed.