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Self-assembly of iron oxide nanoparticles studied by time-resolved grazing-incidence small-angle x-ray scattering

Journal Article · · Physical Review. B, Condensed Matter and Materials Physics
; ; ; ;  [1];  [2];  [3]
  1. Institute of Physics, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Dubravska cesta 9, 84511 Bratislava (Slovakia)
  2. International Laser Center, Ilkovicova 3, 81219 Bratislava (Slovakia)
  3. HASYLAB/DESY, Notkestrasse 86, 22603 Hamburg (Germany)

Evaporation of colloidal nanoparticle solutions is known to produce ordered monolayers of nanoparticles, self-assembled arrays of magnetic nanoparticles being of special importance for applications. The in situ time-resolved grazing-incidence small-angle x-ray scattering with the temporal resolution down to 100 ms was employed to study the self-assembling process of iron oxide nanoparticles after a colloidal drop was applied on a silicon substrate. The x-ray scattering contributions from the evaporating drop volume, drop surface, and substrate surface were monitored and separated. The x-ray scattering from the drop for the distances from the substrate surface larger than {approx_equal}80 {mu}m shows the absence of self-assembled clusters in the drop volume or self-assembled domains on the drop surface. These results indicate that the nanoparticle self-assembling occurs in the vicinity of the three-phase drop contact line. The ordered nanoparticle monolayer exhibits hexagonal close-packed arrangement.

OSTI ID:
21052782
Journal Information:
Physical Review. B, Condensed Matter and Materials Physics, Journal Name: Physical Review. B, Condensed Matter and Materials Physics Journal Issue: 19 Vol. 76; ISSN 1098-0121
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English