Dissipative self-assembly: Fueling with chemicals versus light

Dissipative self-assembly is ubiquitous in nature, where it gives rise to complex structures and functions such as self-healing, homeostasis, and camouflage. These phenomena are enabled by the continuous conversion of energy stored in chemical fuels, such as ATP. Over the past decade, an increasing number of synthetic chemically driven systems have been reported that mimic the features of their natural counterparts. At the same time, it has been shown that dissipative self-assembly can also be fueled by light; these optically fueled systems have been developed in parallel to the chemically fueled ones. In this perspective, we critically compare these two classes of systems. Despite the complementarity and fundamental differences between these two modes of dissipative self-assembly, our analysis reveals that multiple analogies exist between chemically and light-fueled systems. We hope that these considerations will facilitate further development of the field of dissipative self-assembly.