Journal Article

FZJ-2021-05129

http://join2-wiki.gsi.de/foswiki/pub/Main/Artwork/join2_logo100x88.png Self assembling cluster crystals from DNA based dendritic nanostructures

Stiakakis, E. (Corresponding author)FZJ* ; Jung, N. ; Adžić, N. ; Balandin, T.FZJ* ; Kentzinger, E.FZJ* ; Rücker, U.FZJ* ; Biehl, R.FZJ* ; Dhont, J. K. G.FZJ* ; Jonas, U. ; Likos, C. N.

2021
Nature Publishing Group UK [London]

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Please use a persistent id in citations: http://hdl.handle.net/2128/29428  doi:10.1038/s41467-021-27412-3

Abstract: Cluster crystals are periodic structures with lattice sites occupied by several, overlapping building blocks, featuring fluctuating site occupancy, whose expectation value depends on thermodynamic conditions. Their assembly from atomic or mesoscopic units is long-sought-after, but its experimental realization still remains elusive. Here, we show the existence of well-controlled soft matter cluster crystals. We fabricate dendritic-linear-dendritic triblock composed of a thermosensitive water-soluble polymer and nanometer-scale all-DNA dendrons of the first and second generation. Conclusive small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) evidence reveals that solutions of these triblock at sufficiently high concentrations undergo a reversible phase transition from a cluster fluid to a body-centered cubic (BCC) cluster crystal with density-independent lattice spacing, through alteration of temperature. Moreover, a rich concentration-temperature phase diagram demonstrates the emergence of various ordered nanostructures, including BCC cluster crystals, birefringent cluster crystals, as well as hexagonal phases and cluster glass-like kinetically arrested states at high densities.

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Contributing Institute(s):

1. Streumethoden (JCNS-2)
2. Streumethoden (PGI-4)
3. JARA-FIT (JARA-FIT)
4. High Brilliance Source (JCNS-HBS)
5. Neutronenstreuung (JCNS-1)
6. Biomakromolekulare Systeme und Prozesse (IBI-4)
7. Strukturbiochemie (IBI-7)

Research Program(s):

1. 632 - Materials – Quantum, Complex and Functional Materials (POF4-632) (POF4-632)
2. 6G4 - Jülich Centre for Neutron Research (JCNS) (FZJ) (POF4-6G4) (POF4-6G4)
3. 5241 - Molecular Information Processing in Cellular Systems (POF4-524) (POF4-524)

Appears in the scientific report 2021

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