Building superlattices from individual nanoparticles via template-confined DNA-mediated assembly

TLDR

The study demonstrates that a polymer pore template can program the stacking of nanoparticles into well‑defined superlattices. The authors used DNA‑functionalized gold nanoparticles and a polymer pore template, employing modified adenine ribose strands to enforce interparticle distances and stronger base pairing, to assemble the stacks. Changing solvents altered the height of stacks of three gold nanoparticle types, thereby tuning their optical response. Lin et al., Science, this issue p.

Abstract

Programmed nanoparticle stacking A polymer pore template can control the order of assembly of nanoparticles into well-defined stacks and create superlattices. Lin et al. used DNA strands on gold nanoparticles to control interparticle distance. The DNA strands contained modified adenines with more rigid ribose groups that formed stronger base pairs. The height of the stacks of three different types of gold nanoparticle could be changed with different solvents, which in turn changed their optical response. Science , this issue p. 669