  Designing reconfigurable materials based on deformable nanoparticles (NPs)
hinges on an understanding of the energetically-favored shapes these NPs can
adopt. Using simulations, we show that hollow, deformable patchy NPs tailored
with surface charge patterns such as Janus patches, stripes, and
polyhedrally-distributed patches differently adapt their shape in response to
changes in patterns and ionic strength, transforming into capsules,
hemispheres, variably-dimpled bowls, and polyhedra. The links between
anisotropy in NP surface charge, shape, and the elastic energy density are
discussed.
