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SUMMARY:Cracking the capillary code: towards mesoscopic self-assembly and 
 functional micromachines - Professor Nicolas Vandewalle\, University of Li
 ège
DTSTART:20250131T160000Z
DTEND:20250131T170000Z
UID:TALK227095@talks.cam.ac.uk
CONTACT:Professor Grae Worster
DESCRIPTION:Self-assembly\, a spontaneous process driven by thermal agitat
 ion and intermolecular interactions\, is crucial for the formation and fol
 ding of complex macromolecules\, with profound implications for chemistry 
 and biology. While extensively studied at the molecular level\, capillary-
 driven self-assembly has emerged as a promising approach for constructing 
 structures at the mesoscopic scale\, bridging the gap between classical bo
 ttom-up and top-down fabrication methods. Operating between 10 micrometers
  to 10 millimeters\, this approach has\, over two decades\, largely produc
 ed regular or simplistic structures. This work leverages experimental and 
 statistical physics to unveil methodologies for controlling subtle capilla
 ry interactions\, enabling the design of intricate and highly complex stru
 ctures. We demonstrate how these mesoscopic systems act as analogs for mol
 ecular phenomena\, such as folding\, lock-and-key mechanisms\, and crystal
 lization processes. Furthermore\, by incorporating magnetic actuation\, we
  explore the dynamic self-assembly of functional micromachines. These micr
 omachines present potential applications in interface cleaning\, particle 
 sorting\, and targeted transport\, underscoring the transformative possibi
 lities of capillary-driven systems for soft robotics and materials science
 .
LOCATION:MR2
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