[Perspective] Self-assembly creates 2D materials

Self-assembly (1) of suitable molecules and of polymers is a central issue in modern nanotechnology: Once in solution, suitable building blocks should assemble in a highly precise manner to yield much larger, supramolecular objects tailored for a particular function (2). Self-assembly into one-dimensional (1D) micelles with defined length and composition has been achieved (3, 4), but on page 697 of this issue, Qiu et al. (5) describe a decisive step toward 2D systems: By combining the self-assem