Crystallization is one of the most fundamental processes found in nature -- and it's what gives minerals, gems, metals, and even proteins their structure.
In the past couple of decades, scientists have tried to uncover how natural crystals self-assemble and grow -- and their pioneering work has led to some exciting new technologies -- from the quantum dots behind colorful QLED TV displays, to peptoids, a protein-mimic that has inspired dozens of biotech breakthroughs.
Now, a research team led by scientists at the Department of Energy's Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) and UC Berkeley has developed a nanoparticle composite that grows into 3D crystals. The scientists say that the new material -- which they call a 3D PGNP (polymer-grafted nanoparticle) crystal in their recently published Nature Communications study -- could lead to new technologies that are 3D-grown rather than 3D-printed.
"We've demonstrated a new lever to turn, so to speak, to grow a crystalline material into a composite or structured material for applications ranging from nanoscale photonics for smart buildings to actuators for robotics," said Ting Xu, senior author of the study. Xu is a faculty senior scientist in Berkeley Lab's Materials Sciences Division and professor of chemistry and materials science and engineering at UC Berkeley.
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