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Title: Macroscopic and tunable nanoparticle superlattices

Journal Article · · Nanoscale
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1039/c6nr07136h· OSTI ID:1362278
 [1];  [2];  [3];  [4];  [4]
  1. Ames Lab. and Iowa State Univ., Ames, IA (United States). Dept. of Materials Science and Engineering
  2. Ames Lab., Ames, IA (United States). Division of Materials Sciences and Engineering
  3. Ames Lab. and Iowa State Univ., Ames, IA (United States). Dept. of Chemical and Biological Engineering
  4. Ames Lab. and Iowa State Univ., Ames, IA (United States). Dept. of Physics and Astronomy

In this paper, we describe a robust method to assemble nanoparticles into highly ordered superlattices by inducing aqueous phase separation of neutral capping polymers. Here we demonstrate the approach with thiolated polyethylene-glycol-functionalized gold nanoparticles (PEG-AuNPs) in the presence of salts (for example, K2CO3) in solutions that spontaneously migrate to the liquid–vapor interface to form a Gibbs monolayer. We show that by increasing salt concentration, PEG-AuNP monolayers transform from two-dimensional (2D) gas-like to liquid-like phase and eventually, beyond a threshold concentration, to a highly ordered hexagonal structure, as characterized by surface sensitive synchrotron X-ray reflectivity and grazing incidence X-ray diffraction. Furthermore, the method allows control of the inplane packing in the crystalline phase by varying the K2CO3 and PEG-AuNPs concentrations and the length of PEG. Using polymer-brush theory, we argue that the assembly and crystallization is driven by the need to reduce surface tension between PEG and the salt solution. Our approach of taking advantage of the phase separation of PEG in salt solutions is general (i.e., can be used with any nanoparticles) leads to high-quality macroscopic and tunable crystals. In conclusion, we discuss how the method can also be applied to the design of orderly 3D structures.

Research Organization:
Ames Lab. and Iowa State Univ., Ames, IA (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES)
Grant/Contract Number:
AC02-07CH11358; AC02-06CH11357
OSTI ID:
1362278
Journal Information:
Nanoscale, Vol. 9, Issue 1; ISSN 2040-3364
Publisher:
Royal Society of ChemistryCopyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Citation Metrics:
Cited by: 54 works
Citation information provided by
Web of Science

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Cited By (9)

Assembly by solvent evaporation: equilibrium structures and relaxation times journal January 2019
Nanoparticle Superlattices: The Roles of Soft Ligands journal September 2017
In situ structure and force characterization of 2D nano-colloids at the air/water interface journal January 2019
Enhancing the stability of single-stranded DNA on gold nanoparticles as molecular machines through salt and acid regulation journal January 2019
Liquid interfaces with pH-switchable nanoparticle arrays journal January 2018
Polyethylene-Glycol-Mediated Self-Assembly of Magnetite Nanoparticles at the Liquid/Vapor Interface journal January 2018
Potential of mean force for two nanocrystals: Core geometry and size, hydrocarbon unsaturation, and universality with respect to the force field journal July 2018
A non-sacrificial method for the quantification of poly(ethylene glycol) grafting density on gold nanoparticles for applications in nanomedicine journal January 2019
Self-assembly and characterization of 2D plasmene nanosheets journal August 2019

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