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Reconfigurable colloidal structures
Reconfigurability is an essential feature of functional micro- and nanomachines. One way to realize reconfigurability is to introduce microscopic hinges, that is, elements that allow rotation while conserving the relative order of their arrangement. We have developed two experimental realizations of these pivotal elements on the colloidal length scale : I will first show how the deposition of oil droplets in colloidal aggregates lubricates the contact area and thereby enables and drives the reconfiguration into uniform, compact structures. Secondly, I will introduce colloidal particles with surface-mobile DNA linkers that enable the formation of strong and specific hinging bonds. I will describe how this bond mobility affects the self-assembly pathway and demonstrate the assembly of a variety of reconfigurable structures, such as colloidal polymers and flexible colloidal molecules. These novel colloidal building blocks give access to a new class of materials with great potential in shape-shifting systems, actuators and colloidal robots.