INS4-1300
Diffusion-Mediated Morphogenesis in Soft Materials
Topic
S4. Colloids, Interfaces, and Molecular Assemblies for Functional Soft Materials
When and Where
Sep 29, 2026
17:15 - 17:30
Room 106
Session Chairs
Taehyoung KIM
Presenter(s)
Sangchul Roh (Chonnam National University)
Co-Author(s)
Abstract
Morphogenesis in nature arises from the amplification of local transport and reaction processes into complex structures spanning multiple length scales. Here, we present diffusion-mediated morphogenesis as a general strategy for generating functional architectures in soft matter. First, we introduce diffusion-gelation morphogenesis for the fabrication of three-dimensional silicone tubular architectures. Asymmetric molecular diffusion coupled with spatially evolving gelation fronts spontaneously generates hollow tubular structures with tunable geometries. The resulting architectures can be functionally reprogrammed after fabrication by incorporating different materials into their internal channels. Second, we couple fiber gelation with interface-localized mineralization to direct the formation of metal-organic precursor structures along the fiber surface. The spatial confinement of transport and coordination suppresses undesired precipitation in the surrounding solution and enables controlled mineral deposition on the soft template. Subsequent solvent-mediated lattice reconstruction converts the precursor structures into porous MOF architectures while preserving the macroscopic fiber geometry. Together, diffusion-mediated morphogenesis therefore provides a versatile framework for the design and fabrication of adaptive, reconfigurable, and hierarchically structured materials.
