Abstract
The emergence of complex nano- and microstructures is of fundamental interest, and the ability to program their form has practical ramifications in fields such as optics, catalysis, and electronics. We developed carbonate-silica microstructures in a dynamic reaction-diffusion system that allow us to rationally devise schemes for precisely sculpting a great variety of elementary shapes by diffusion of carbon dioxide (CO2) in a solution of barium chloride and sodium metasilicate. We identify two distinct growth modes and show how continuous and discrete modulations in CO2 concentration, pH, and temperature can be used to deterministically switch between different regimes and create a bouquet of hierarchically assembled multiscale microstructures with unprecedented levels of complexity and precision. These results outline a nanotechnology strategy for "collaborating" with self-assembly processes in real time to build arbitrary tectonic architectures.
Highlights
We developed carbonate/silica microstructures in a dynamic reaction-diffusion system that allows us to rationally devise schemes for precisely sculpting a great variety of elementary shapes by diffusion of CO2 in a solution of barium chloride and sodium metasilicate
We identify two distinct growth modes and show how continuous and discrete modulations in CO2 concentration, pH and temperature can be used to deterministically switch between different regimes and create a bouquet of hierarchically assembled multiscale microstructures with unprecedented levels of complexity and precision
Hierarchical nano/microarchitectures offer insight into how complex forms can emerge from simple starting materials, and underlie coloration [3], wetting [4], mechanics [5], and other phenomena seen in nature and may transform optics [6], catalysis [7,8,9], building construction, and many other technologies if we can find ways to create them synthetically
Summary
The increased thickness at the edges of the walls and stems is consistent with solution-directed growth: these areas have a larger surface to accommodate the silica deposition, resulting in local thickening (Fig. 2B).
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