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SUMMARY:Symmetry breaking and multi-functionality – artificial vs. biolo
 gical morphogenesis - Stoyan Smoukov (University of Cambridge)
DTSTART:20160511T150000Z
DTEND:20160511T160000Z
UID:TALK66100@talks.cam.ac.uk
CONTACT:Emily Chillingworth
DESCRIPTION:Artificial materials exhibiting symmetry breaking\, such as dy
 namic shape-change behaviour\, are parsimonious\, compared to biological s
 ystems\, both in terms of number of components and mechanisms. This elegan
 ce allows us to study in greater fundamental detail their mechanisms and p
 otential to control such behaviour. Symmetry breaking in living systems is
  often achieved by reaction-diffusion coupling\, but recently nonlineariti
 es in material properties have been shown key to achieving morphogenesis. 
 We explore ways to break symmetry from the macroscopic to the molecular le
 vel. We have discovered fundamentally novel mechanisms to direct growth\, 
 shape change\, and have a vision to develop them in the fields of artifici
 al muscles\, adaptive structures\, and for bringing insights in the proces
 ses of morphogenesis. \n\nWe show examples of engineering the symmetry bre
 aking and dynamics for multiple structures and processes\, on multiple len
 gthscales – from nanometers to centimeters. We demonstrate the formation
  of Janus and other asymmetric particles\, which form as a result of coupl
 ing of chemical reactions to non-linear mechanical properties of materials
 [1\,2]. We also demonstrate the opposite effects – how mechanical deform
 ations and molecular interactions can help one simplify chemical syntheses
 [3].Further\, we also demonstrate that even without reactions\, the materi
 al properties and geometry alone could cause symmetry breaking. By bending
  a spherical cap and a cone shell\, we characterize the instabilities and 
 show novel behaviors\, both static and dynamic. Upon inversion of the magn
 etic spherical cap\, for example\, using high speed video\, we have captur
 ed and modelled an intermediate asymmetric quasi-stable state[4].\n\nEquil
 ibrium deformations also show symmetry breaking – both macroscopic\, and
  in phase-separation. We explore the energetics of these transitions in re
 cent results. We combine the geometrical approaches with chemistry to achi
 eve combinatorial multifunctionality. Instead of designing all the desired
  functions in a single molecule\, we use controlled internal phase separat
 ion in a material to introduce existing materials with already optimized f
 unctions\, and interweave them into one. We show how this spatial separati
 on of just 3 phases and 20 functions would lead to over 8000 trifunctional
  materials. We demonstrate such interpenetrating networks with the separat
 e individual functions\, as well as emerging effects. \n\nFinally\, we des
 cribe molecular mechanisms we have discovered for bottom-up shape change i
 n liquid droplets. It relies only on transformations inside the droplets a
 nd\, without any external applied fields\, is able to generate a number of
  regular geometric shapes\, including octahedra\, hexagons\, rhomboids\, t
 riangles and fibers. We explain the transitions between these shapes and m
 ethods to control them in both the liquid and solid state. This scalable p
 rocess is a molecularly based method for symmetry breaking on various scal
 es.[6] I will outline a number of implications for further fundamental dis
 coveries and for potential applied explorations in symmetry breaking\, man
 ufacturing and nanoscience.\n\nThe motivation for my talk at the Sainsbury
  lab is to exchange some ideas about morphogenesis\, both artificial and p
 lant-based\, and generate new ideas (in synthetic biology?) at points of i
 ntersecting interest. \n\nReferences:\n\n[1] Ding T\, Baumberg J\, Smoukov
  SK\, Harnessing Nonlinear Rubber Swelling for Bulk Synthesis of Anisotrop
 ic Hybrid Nanoparticles with Tunable Metal-Polymer Ratios\, J. Mater. Chem
 . C\, 2\, 8745-8749 (2014) DOI: 10.1039/c4tc01660b\n\n[2] Wang Y\, Ding T\
 , Baumberg J\, Smoukov SK\, Symmetry Breaking Polymerization: One-Pot Synt
 hesis of Plasmonic Hybrid Janus Nanoparticles\, Nanoscale 7\, 10344-10349 
 (2015) DOI: 10.1039/c5nr01999k \n\n[3] Marshall\, JE\, Gallagher S\, Teren
 tjev EM\, Smoukov SK\, Anisotropic Colloidal Micromuscles from Liquid Crys
 tal Elastomers\, J. Am. Chem. Soc.\, 136 (1)\, 474-479 (2014)\, DOI: 10.10
 21/ja410930g\n\n[4] Loukaides E\, Seffen KA\, Smoukov SK\, Magnetic Actuat
 ion and Transition Shapes of a Bistable Spherical Cap\, Intl. J. Smart & N
 ano Mater. (2015) DOI: 10.1080/19475411.2014.997322\n\n[5] Khaldi A\, Ples
 se C\, Vidal F\, Smoukov SK\, Designing Smarter Materials with Interpenetr
 ating Polymer Networks\, accepted in Adv. Mater. 27 (30)\, 4418–4422 (20
 15) DOI: 10.1002/adma.201500209\n\n[6] Denkov N\, Tcholakova S\, Lesov I\,
  Cholakova D\, Smoukov SK\, Self-Shaping of Droplets via Formation of Inte
 rmediate Rotator Phases upon Cooling\, NATURE 528\, 392–395 (2015)\, DOI
 : 10.1038/nature16189\n\n\nBio: Stoyan Smoukov is the Head of the Active a
 nd Intelligent Materials group in the Department of Materials Science and 
 Metallurgy at the University of Cambridge\, where he has been since 2012. 
 He is leading the work on an ERC grant EMATTER\, as well as several indust
 rial collaborations. He is the author of 54 journal papers\, cited over 15
 50 times\, with H-index of 18.\nHe received his M.Sc. and Ph.D. in Physica
 l/Analytical chemistry at Northwestern University with Prof. Brian Hoffman
 . His post-doctoral work was all at departments of Chemical Engineering\, 
 first at the Illinois Institute of Technology (Profs. Venerus and Schieber
 )\, then back in Northwestern (Prof. Grzybowski). He then joined North Car
 olina State University\, working with Prof. Orlin Velev\, first as Visitin
 g Assistant Professor\, and then promoted to Research Assistant Professor.
  His work in NC State was on reconfigurable assembly and disassembly of ma
 gnetic Janus particles\, as well on a novel method for fabricating bulk am
 ounts of inexpensive nanofibers\, which has been spun off into a successfu
 l startup company.\nStoyan Smoukov’s current research interests are focu
 sed on fundamental investigations of multi-responsive materials\, material
 s in confinement\, as well as the use of geometry and processing technolog
 ies for achieving responsiveness.\n  \n
LOCATION:Auditorium of The Sainsbury Laboratory (Bateman Street)
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