Assembly-by-Elimination of 3D Nanoarchitectures with Designed Interstitials and Interweaves

The realization of metamaterials with tailored functional responses requires three-dimensional (3D) architectures that combine low packing fractions with complex topology. Such metastructures can enhance strength-to-weight ratios, accommodate large deformations, manipulate light and enable efficient transport and actuation under 3D confinement. However, extending topology-driven design from the macroscale to the nanoscale remains challenging due to limitations in 3D nanofabrication. Although self-assembly offers a path to realizing 3D organizations, it typically favors densely packed, high-symmetry structures, making it difficult to achieve intricate, low-density architectures with complex connectivity. To overcome these limitations, we introduce Assembly-By-Elimination (ABEL), a strategy for designing periodic topologically complex low-packing-fraction 3D nanoscale metastructures. ABEL begins by assembling a fully interconnected, high-packing-fraction template lattice, followed by programmable removal of selected structural elements, yielding a targeted metastructure. We experimentally demonstrate the ABEL strategy using, as a 3D template, a body-centered-cubic DNA lattice composed of DNA cubic frames with a sequence-specific set of bonds. After assembly, addressable elimination of bonds sculpts the template into an open metastructure by disconnecting prescribed individual frames or sublattices, thus realizing low-density nanoscale organizations and interpenetrating networks. We then investigate the Young’s modulus of created metastructures, and show that it scales approximately linearly with bond density, directly linking nanoscale architecture to mechanical response. By combining designed 3D lattice templates with addressable elimination of bonds and structural elements, ABEL provides a route to realizing complex architectures with prescribed nanoscale topology.