Design principles for Bernal spirals and helices with tunable pitch

摘要: Using the framework of potential energy landscape theory, we describe two in silico designs for self-assembling helical colloidal superstructures based upon dipolar dumbbells and Janus-type building blocks, respectively. Helical with controllable pitch length are obtained using external magnetic field driven assembly asymmetric involving screened electrostatic as well interactions. The helix is tuned by modulating Debye screening over an experimentally accessible range. second design on blocks composed rigidly linked spheres short-range anisotropic interactions, which predicted to self-assemble into Bernal spirals. These spirals quite flexible, longer helices undergo rearrangements via cooperative, hinge-like moves, agreement experiment.