Patchy particles

Patchy particle is a term used to describe micron- or nanoscale colloidal particles that are anisotropically patterned, either by modification of the particle surface chemistry ("enthalpic patches"), through particle shape ("entropic patches"), or both. Patchy particles are used as a shorthand for modelling anisotropic colloids and proteins and for designing approaches to nanoparticle synthesis. Patchy particles range in valency from two (Janus particles) or higher.