Effect of structure: A new insight into nanoparticle assemblies from inanimate to animate

Chuanhui Huang; Xiangyu Chen; Zhenjie Xue; Tie Wang

doi:10.1126/sciadv.aba1321

Effect of structure: A new insight into nanoparticle assemblies from inanimate to animate

Sci Adv. 2020 May 13;6(20):eaba1321. doi: 10.1126/sciadv.aba1321. eCollection 2020 May.

Authors

Chuanhui Huang¹, Xiangyu Chen¹, Zhenjie Xue^{1

2}, Tie Wang^{1

2}

Affiliations

¹ Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Living Biosystems Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, #2 Zhongguancun, North First Street, Beijing 100190, China.
² University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China.

Abstract

Nanoparticle (NP) assemblies are among the foremost achievements of nanoscience and nanotechnology because their interparticle interactions overcome the weaknesses displayed by individual NPs. However, previous studies have considered NP assemblies as inanimate, which had led to their dynamic properties being overlooked. Animate properties, i.e., those mimicking biological properties, endow NP ensembles with unique and unexpected functionalities for practical applications. In this critical review, we highlight recent advances in our understanding of the properties of NP assemblies, particularly their animate properties. Key examples are used to illustrate critical concepts, and special emphasis is placed on animate property-dependent applications. Last, we discuss the barriers to further advances in this field.

Copyright © 2020 The Authors, some rights reserved; exclusive licensee American Association for the Advancement of Science. No claim to original U.S. Government Works. Distributed under a Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial License 4.0 (CC BY-NC).

Publication types

Review