Complex Blends For Nanomaterial Synthesis Across Scales

The long-term impact of nanoscience hinges on the ability to deliver nanomaterials across scales under relevant conditions for system integration. The prevalent design philosophy is driven by molecular precision, explores a rather narrow parameter space, pursues equilibria under defined conditions, and focuses on establishing phase diagrams. While arrays of assemblies have been achieved, they are challenged by scalability, compatibility with device integration, and reproducibility in the presence of unknown impurities. We hypothesize that nanomaterial design driven by deep energy wells is inherently limited and we should shift to systems with more rugged energy landscapes; and harvesting chemical diversity to access a diverse range of secondary interactions and entropies in complex systems opens up new, yet challenging design space, blurring the lines between thermodynamic and kinetics. I will take the opportunity and share our exploration in this new and exciting area using supramolecular nanocomposites as the testbed.