Nature's Honeycomb

Nature creates complex patterns, such as the assembly of molecules with no guidance from an outside source.

Spreading anthraquinone, a common and inexpensive chemical, on to a flat copper surface, researchers observed the spontaneous formation of a two-dimensional honeycomb network comprised of anthraquinone molecules.

Anthraquinone molecules form chains that weave themselves into a sheet of hexagons on the copper surface, forming a network similar to chicken wire. The precise shape of the network is governed by a delicate balance between forces of attraction and repulsion operating on the molecules.

The finding, reported in the Aug. 18 issue of Science, describes a new mechanism by which complex patterns are generated at the nanoscale without any need for expensive processes such as lithography.

Potential applications of the finding are paints, lubricants, medical implants, and processes where surface-patterning at the scale of molecules is desired.

--LiveScience Staff

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Credit: Ludwig Bartels's research group, UCR