Self-assembly articles from across Nature Portfolio

Pentagonal polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (POSS)-based giant atoms self-assemble into Frank–Kasper phases that have not been previously observed in soft-matter systems.

The construction of analogues of natural gap junctions would provide a bottom–up strategy for building intercellular communication pathways for synthetic cells. Now artificial intercellular gap junctions have been prepared from unimolecular tubular channels by mimicking the hydrophobic–hydrophilic–hydrophobic triblock structure of natural junction channels.

Authors introduce triple treatments to advance flexible single-walled carbon nanotube films, achieving a power factor of 20.29 µW cm⁻¹ K⁻². High structural stability and flexibility enable the fabrication of a high-power-density flexible device.

Advances in the development of cytoskeletal-like materials with modular structures and mechanics are pivotal for the engineering of synthetic cells. Now actin-mimetic supramolecular peptide networks have been designed using programmable peptide–DNA crosslinkers, giving rise to tunable tactoid-shaped bundles and mechanical properties that control spatial localization, the diffusion of payloads and shape changes within artificial cells.

Isolated flat bands can host strongly correlated electronic phases due to the enhancement of the Coulomb interaction. Here, an isolated flat band is realized and visualized in a 2D supramolecular crystal based on self-assembled square-shaped macrocycle molecules on Ag(111) surface arranged in a Lieb lattice.

Helical protein assemblies are an important biological structure, but are challenging to mimic with synthetic materials. Here, the authors report the use of peptoids to form nanohelix structures with controllable supramolecular chirality.

Pentagonal polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (POSS)-based giant atoms self-assemble into Frank–Kasper phases that have not been previously observed in soft-matter systems.

Molecular knots and links retrofitted with iminopyrrole units make these assemblies intrinsically flexible, strengthening their potential application in molecular machinery.

The intentional interweaving of two different metal–organic framework (MOF) lattices could offer a strategy for combining the disparate properties of the two frameworks within a single MOF material. Now, the rational construction of such hetero-interpenetrated MOFs has been demonstrated.

The concepts of multistep processes and regioselectivity — fundamental in covalent synthesis — have now been applied to the non-covalent synthesis of sequence-controlled multiblock supramolecular polymers.

Chiral macrocycles are of interest for various applications, including drug discovery, but are challenging to synthesize. Now, a method for enantiocontrolled macrocyclization is demonstrated, involving the confinement of a linear substrate within a self-assembled chiral capsule. This method shows good substrate scope and affords chiral macrocycles with high enantioselectivities and conversions.

Supramolecular assemblies of peptides with differing morphologies and properties are formed by varying the synthetic route to the fibrous assemblies.