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'Self-assembly' is the fundamental principle which generates structural organization on all scales from molecules to galaxies. It is defined as reversible processes in which pre-existing parts or disordered components of a preexisting system form structures of patterns.
Self-assembly can be classified as either static or dynamic. Static self-assembly is when the ordered state occurs when the system is in equilibrium and does not dissipate energy. Dynamic self-assembly is when the ordered state requires dissipation of energy.
Examples of self-assembling system include weather patterns, solar systems, histogenesis and self-assembled monolayers. The most well-studied subfield of self-assembly is molecular self-assembly, but in recent years it has been demonstrated that self-assembly is possible with micro and millimeterscale structures lying in the interface between two liquids.

Contents

See also

External links and further reading

See also

★ Self-organization

★ Nanotechnology

★ Langmuir-Blodgett film

★ Autopoiesis

★ Molecular self-assembly

External links and further reading

★ Kuniaki Nagayama, ''Freeview Video 'Self-Assembly: Nature's Way To Do It'', A Royal Institution Lecture by the Vega Science Trust.

★ Paper Molecular Self-Assembly

★ Paper Beyond molecules: Self-assembly of mesoscopic and macroscopic components

★ Paper Self-assembly for three-dimensional integration of functional electrical components

★ Whitesides, G. M. & Grzyboski, B. (2002) Science 295, 2418-2421.

★ Rothemund PWK, Papadakis N, Winfree E (2004) ''Algorithmic Self-Assembly of DNA Sierpinski Triangles''. PLoS Biol 2(12)

★ Wiki: ''C2 Self Assembly from a computer programming perspective.''

★ Pelesko, J.A., (2007) ''Self Assembly: The Science of Things That Put Themselves Together,'' Chapman & Hall/CRC Press.

★ A brief page on self-assembly at the University of Delaware ''Self Assembly''