Module 6

• Democritus imagined that all matter in the universe evolved

  from the organization of atomistic components to form the Earth and solar system, stars, and galaxies.
• Descartes envisioned an ordered universe arising out of chaos through the self-organization of small objects into larger assemblages
• self-assembly - the process where separate or distinct components form

  spontaneously into well-defined aggregates.
• self-assembly - the emergence of order from disorder and the emergence of life
• components of self-assembly - molecules or segments of a macromolecule
• self-assembly is reversibility/adjustability - allow components to adjust positions
• static - The system are at a global or local equilibrium; no dissipation of energy; may require energy in the form of stirring; and products formed are stable
• example of statics - molecular crystals and folded or globular proteins
• dynamic - the interactions to form the structure only occur in the system is dissipating energy; structures formed are not necessarily stable
• example of dynamics - cell replication (mitosis), bacteria swarm, and fish school
• Bacterial swarming - Swarming is a bacterial social behavior where billions of bacteria migrate together over a surface
• templated self-assembly - "requires control of spatial boundaries such as container material and geometry"
• templated self-assembly - need for a template or "backbone"; interaction between components and regular features
• examples of templated self-assembly - Crystallization on surfaces and

  Crystallization of colloids
• biological self-assembly - "involves weak covalent interactions or non-covalent interactions
• Polymerization - process where relatively small molecules (monomers) combine chemically to produce a very large chainlike or network molecule, called a polymer
• polymer does not always retain the chemical properties or the reactivity of the monomer unit
• process of polymerization - the process is diverse, there is no single mechanism, product, or system
• Natural polymers - made by living organisms
• synthetic polymers - made by chemical reactions in a lab
• examples of natural polymers - DNA, rubber, cellulose, and wool
• examples of synthetic polymers - nylon, polyester, teflon, and epoxy
• Polyethylene terephthalate - PETE/PET
• High density polyethylene - HDPE
• Polyvinyl chloride - V/PVC
• Low density polyethylene - LDPE
• Polypropylene - PP
• Polystyrene - PS