Janus particle synthesis and assembly.

Janus particles, colloid-sized particles with two regions of different surface chemical composition, possess energetic interactions that depend not only on their separation but also on their orientation. Research on Janus and colloidal particles that are chemically patchy in even more complicated fashion has opened a new chapter in the colloid research field. This article highlights recent progress in both experiment and theory regarding synthesis and self-assembly of Janus particles, and tentatively outlines some areas of future opportunity.