08/22/06

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Autonomous Design

Anthraquinone molecules scattered randomly on a copper surface coalesce on their own into a hexagonal pattern, as can be see in this demonstration movie. While some might be tempted to see this as a form of intelligent design, associate professor of chemistry Ludwig Bartels, graduate student Greg Pawin, and colleagues at the University of California, Riverside, attribute this molecular self-assembly to short-range attractions of the hydrogen bonds between the molecules and long-range repulsions mediated by the copper surface. Eventually, this work may lead to improved chip lithography or nanoparticle growth. Until then, it's just interesting to see patterns emerge without intervention.

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