Basic kinetics and thermodynamics can unravel the complicated chemical reactions involved in self-assembly processes, say scientists in Switzerland. 

Self-assembly is an approach to nanotechnology where chemists synthesize simple building blocks which then arrange themselves into more sophisticated structures.

Claude Piguet and colleagues at the University of Geneva argue that the progress made in designing aesthetically-appealing structures has not been matched by an understanding of the underlying chemical principles. 'The current craze for short-term profitability often masks crucial scientific problems which should be solved by scientists and particularly chemists,' said Piguet. 

Ludovic Jullien professor of chemistry at École Normale Supérieure in Paris commented that phenomena in this field are too often misunderstood.  He said Piguet's work 'will be a particularly useful review for the large community of researchers dealing with self-assembly processes, not only in inorganic chemistry but also in organic chemistry.'

The project is far from over, said Piguet. One unsolved problem is the effect of solvents. Another is calculating the strength of the repulsion between building blocks of the same charge.

Colin R Batchelor