Synthesis and Assembly of Anisotropic Ellipsoidal Particles.

Abstract

We create complex non-close packed assemblies from ellipsoidal anisotropic particles using external electric fields in this dissertation. Spherical colloidal particles have long been self-assembled into close-packed 2-D and 3-D ordered structures, while external fields have been used to accelerate their self-assembly as well as to alter the free energy landscape to create novel field driven ordered structures. In the first part of the dissertation, we develop a direct current (DC) electric field assembly method that accelerates the self-assembly of charged colloidal particles. In the second part of the dissertation, we use alternating current (AC) electric fields to alter the free energy landscape and actuate the self-assembled colloidal assemblies created from anisotropic particles.