Structuring Matter over Multiple Length Scales using Hierarchical Self-Assembly

In 1960, Feynman challenged us to think “from the bottom up” and to create new functional materials by directing and manipulating the arrangements of individual atoms ourselves. With recent advances in the colloidal nanoparticles synthesis and the bottom-up fabrication of nanostructured materials using colloidal self-assembly, we are tantalizingly close to realizing this dream. In this talk, I will show using computer simulations how one can use hierarchical self-assembly to structure matter over multiple length scales, which enables an unprecedented control over the properties and functionalities of these nanomaterials. For instance, sintering of the catalyst metal nanoparticles may be prevented if the metal particles are surrounded by support particles in a binary superlattice structure, and the contact area and active sites of heterogenous catalyst systems can be tuned by the nanoparticle shape. In addition, the fabrication of larger supraparticles of these nanostructured materials allows for a subsequent self-assembly step which provides opportunities for new functionalities like control over the porosity, plasmonic, and photonic properties.