Nature Communications (Dec 2021)

Self assembling cluster crystals from DNA based dendritic nanostructures

  • Emmanuel Stiakakis,
  • Niklas Jung,
  • Nataša Adžić,
  • Taras Balandin,
  • Emmanuel Kentzinger,
  • Ulrich Rücker,
  • Ralf Biehl,
  • Jan K. G. Dhont,
  • Ulrich Jonas,
  • Christos N. Likos

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-021-27412-3
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 12, no. 1
pp. 1 – 10

Abstract

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Experimental realization of cluster crystals- periodic structures with lattice sites occupied by several, overlapping building blocks, has been elusive. Here, the authors show the existence of well-controlled soft matter cluster crystals composed of a thermosensitive water-soluble polymer and nanometer-scale all-DNA dendrons.