Self-assembly is by no means limited to the nanoscale. For instance, researchers have self-assembled millimeter scale components to form 3D electrical networks. This was first demonstrated by patterning the surface of truncated octahedra with solder on the square faces and LEDs on the hexagonal faces. The polyhedra were subsequently assembled by placing the elements into a hot, isodense, aqueous KBr solution. In this environment, the solder melts and the millimeter-scale components spontaneously assemble into ordered structures [1]. Alias: Self-Organization.

Self-assembly - The process whereby components spontaneously organise into more complex objects. Sounds creepy? Nature does it all the time, and we owe our existence to it. It is one of the holy grails of nanotechnology, potentially offering the ability to make vast quantities of some useful product simply by stirring together the appropriate components. It is a classic example of the bottom-up approach to fabrication." CMP-Cientifica

Reference:

[1] D. H. Gracias, J. Tien, T. L. Breen, C. Hsu, G. M. Whitesides, 'Forming Electrical Networks in Three Dimensions by Self-Assembly' (2000) Science 289, 5482, 1170-1172. Abstract