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T3. Active Self Assembly
Creation of microstructure in soft materials often depends on non-equilibrium processing at a large scale, such as shearing, or sudden quenches (temperature changes) to induce phase separation. Less is known when individual particles have local non-equilibrium properties due for example to self-propulsion or "motility". With a view to establishing design principles for new materials as yet unforeseen, we have started to explore: the self-assembly of naturally occurring and synthetic motile colloids; the physics of motile colloids of programmable motility; emergent ideas connecting such active self-assembly to the specific material classes identified elsewhere in the Programme.
