1999 pure of applied inorganic chemistry award lecture curves in chemistry: supramolecular materials taking shape~ (1,2)

摘要

A large part of he development of mathematics wasdriven by the desire to understand why objects in nature are foundin a myriad of shapes and sizes and why certain forms are preferredover others. The area of mathematics called the calculus ofvariations has been utilized to handle the optimal forms ingeometry and nature. It has been used to comprehendmorphogenesis and the similarity, yet variety, of forms in thenatural world. The mathematical underpinnings of natural form arebeginning to influence the inorganic materials world, especially theunusual morphologies that arise in the field of self-assembly.These morphologies often exhibit curved shapes resembling thoseof minimal surfaces rather than familiar platonic, polyhedralcrystal habits. The curved shapes of mesostructured inorganicmaterials synthesized by supramolecular templating are strikingexamples of minimal surface are and energy principles at work intheir growth and form.