Understanding the Self-assembly of Metal-organic Supra-molecules

Supra-molecules are large “hollow” molecules typically composed of small rigid metal-organic (MO) frameworks which have many potential applications such as gas separation and storage, as well as targeted drug delivery. Due to the rigidity of the underlying MO frameworks, a supra-molecule usually possesses a well-defined polyhedral shape. The research team will assess how the self-assembly structure arises from the characteristics of the supra-molecules and their interactions with their surroundings. Which factors play a more important role in the self- assembly process, the overall symmetry and shape of the supra-molecules or the specific atomic interactions?