Engineering Entropy for Colloidal Design

ORAL

Abstract

The inverse design of target material structures is a fundamental challenge. Here, we demonstrate the direct inverse design of soft materials for target crystal structures using entropy alone. Our approach does not require any geometric ansatz. Instead, it efficiently samples 92- or 188-dimensional building-block parameter spaces to determine thermodynamically optimal shapes. We present detailed data for optimal particle characteristics and parameter tolerances for six target structures. Our results demonstrate a general, rational, and precise method for engineering new colloidal materials, and will guide nanoparticle synthesis to realize these materials.

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Authors

  • Yina Geng

    Department of Physics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, University of Michigan

  • Greg van Anders

    University of Michigan, Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Univ of Michigan - Ann Arbor

  • Paul M. Dodd

    Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, University of Michigan, Univ of Michigan - Ann Arbor

  • Sharon Glotzer

    Univ of Michigan - Ann Arbor, University of Michigan, Department of Chemical Engineering, Department of Physics, Department of Material Science and Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Department of Physics, Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Michigan, Department of Chemical Engineering, Department of Material Science and Engineering, Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor