Self-assembly of anisotropic nano-building-blocks

The self-assembly of anisotropic nano-building-blocks has garnered significant attention in recent decades due to their unique properties that distinguish them from isotropic building-blocks. Using anisotropic nano-building-blocks as the foundational components enhances the diversity of superstructure phases and promotes the production and application of self-assembled materials across various fields. However, the development of innovative superassembly strategies and technologies that can precisely control the morphology, composition, local structural defects, and entropic effects of building-blocks during the self-assembly process remains a major challenge, generating substantial research interest. This review provides an overview of the classification and self-assembly theories of anisotropic nano-building-blocks, with a particular focus on recent advances in self-assembly systems involving biomacromolecules, block copolymers, giant molecules, and shape- and surface-property- anisotropic nanoparticles, analyzing and discussing in-depth their structure, properties, design, and principles. Finally, the review addresses the existing challenges, prospects, and future development directions within this research field. Self-assembly of aisotropic nano-building-blocks offers an important approach to develope advanced materials. • Classification and self-assembly theories of anisotropic nano-building-blocks have been systematically discussed. • Latest advancements in self-assembly systems of anisotropic nano-building-blocks have been systematically summarized. • Structural design and principles of anisotropic nano-building-blocks and self-assembly systems have been deeply analyzed. • Challenges and prospects in the field of self-assembly of anisotropic nano-building-blocks have been deeply addressed.