Self-assembly articles from across Nature Portfolio

Aggregation usually quenches the excited states of organic dyes, limiting photocatalysis. Now it has been shown that supramolecular aggregation of amphiphilic chromophores can rigidify the molecules, stabilize localized reactive excited states and enable light-driven H₂ and H₂O₂ production in water, establishing aggregation-induced photocatalysis as a general design principle.

Electronic skins are promising for wearable electronics, though existing fabrication methods have unfavorable processes and mechanical properties. Here the authors utilize a dipping-dipping molecular assembly to fabricate an E-skin in seconds.

Porous frameworks assembled from biologically derived building blocks have diverse potential applications. Here, the authors report the development of crystalline mesoporous frameworks fabricated from the self-assembly of amphiphilic collagen-mimetic peptides.

Structured liquid droplets exhibit asymmetric division in the absence of reconstituted protein machinery.

Achieving chirality continuum, particularly reversible in three-dimensional solids, remains challenging due to the intrinsic difficulties in nanoscale accuracy over extended architectures. Here, the authors introduce a decoupled design that integrates magnetic field-directed achiral superstructures of luminomagnetic nanoparticles with post-curing mechanical manipulation.

Isocyanate groups are excellent precursors for the synthesis of polyurethanes and polyureas however they degrade with atmospheric moisture. Here, the authors report the encapsulation of isocyanates within crystalline pillar[n]arene macrocycles that provides both high protection efficiency and facile deprotection of isocyanate compounds.

Chaotic flows generated by a microtubule-based active fluid are shown to enhance the motion of passive actin fibres and assemble them into a hierarchical elastic membrane. Active flows also actuate the multiscale dynamics of the emerging membrane, and non-reciprocal feedback between the active and elastic stresses yields macroscopic oscillations.

Marine embryos are usually studied in isolation. But when starfish embryos are in a crowd, they self-assemble into living solids with unexpected dynamics, revealing how simple organisms can help understand physics far from equilibrium.

Phase-separation-generated DNA condensates provide a versatile platform for building synthetic cells that mimic crowded intracellular environments. By integrating phase separation with DNA nanotechnology, we have programmed cytoskeleton growth inside synthetic cells. This growth provides switchable and orthogonal architectures that reinforce mechanical stability and can establish robust interfaces with living cells.

A study demonstrates that fully synthetic molecules can undergo self-replication, mutation and selection — hallmarks of Darwinian evolution — without relying on DNA or proteins.

Todd Squires highlights the distinction between weight and volume fraction as a conceptual strategy to control the flow and feel of complex fluid products.