Self-assembly of superstructures at all scales

Controllable assembly of molecular and nanoscale building blocks into uniform superstructures up to bulk dimensions remains a key challenge in the next phase of nanotechnology development. Here, we report the self-assembly of superstructures at all scales by taking advantage of the partial miscibility of water and 1-butanol to generate transient aqueous emulsion droplets that can encapsulate the target materials and introduce them into template holes. Further diffusion of water into 1-butanol depletes the emulsion droplets, assembling the building blocks into one well-defined superstructure in each hole. Superstructuring of various types and shapes of nanoparticles, biomolecules, and inorganic compounds could be achieved without the need for surfactants and chemical modifications. The versatility, scalability, low-cost, and accurate positioning are crucial advantages for the future development of advanced precision manufacturing.