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News Release 11-145
Chemists Create Molecular "Flasks"
Researchers design a self-assembling material that can house other molecules
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![This is a scanning electron microscope image of a new material that self-assembles into polyhedra.](/news/mmg/media/images/molecular_flask1_f.jpg)
A scanning electron microscope image shows a new material that self-assembles into a polyhedron using the attractive interactions associated with hydrogen bonds. The shapes then further organize into a crystal lattice that resembles a porous structure called zeolite, an absorbent material with many industrial uses.
Credit: Michael D. Ward, New York University
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This animation shows a portion of the cubic zeolite-like structure formed by the octahedron framework of the new material. In this unit cell there are eight individual "molecular flasks" on the corners and one in the center.
Credit: Michael D. Ward, New York University
![This image is a representation of a compound nesting inside the new material.](/news/mmg/media/images/molecular_flask2_f.jpg)
This image is a simplified representation of a compound (red, blue and green) nesting inside a single truncated octahedron (purple).
Credit: Michael D. Ward, New York University
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![cover of the journal Science](/news/mmg/media/images/science_072211_f3.jpg)
The researchers' results are described in the July 22 issue of the journal Science.
Credit: copyright AAAS 2011
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