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Title: Photochemical arrays formed by spatial compartmentalization of colloidal nanoparticles in a polymer-based hydrogel

Conference ·
OSTI ID:751873

The development of practical strategies for the assembly of semiconductor and metal colloid nanoparticles into ordered architectures is an area of considerable current interest, since it offers an opportunity for exploiting the optical and electronic properties of these colloids for device development. Prior research has explored creating such organized nanoparticle assemblies by Langmuir-Blodgett techniques or controlled solvent evaporation on suitable substrates. These approaches suffer from several limitations, however, most notably the generation of relatively simple structures and the lack of structural tailorability, preventing full exploitation of these materials. More recently, directed assembly using chemisorption of streptavidin-biotin or thiol-derivatized gold nanoparticles onto substrates has been described. Alternative approaches to achieving two-dimensional confinement of nanoparticles that do not involve substrate-supported materials, but rather organize the nanoparticles into mesoscopically-ordered soft condensed matter, may offer the advantage of enhanced processability and may permit construction of nanocomposite structures based on functional nanoparticles embedded in a processable, polymer-based matrix. This work describes the development of an alternative strategy for constructing 2-D arrays of functional metal and semiconductor nanoparticles. The approach involves directing the organization of nanocrystals into a processable (i.e., by externally applied magnetic and electric fields) polymer-grafted lipid-based complex fluid. By altering the surface chemistry of the nanoparticles, they can be selectively placed into defined regions encapsulating matrix.

Research Organization:
Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne, IL (US)
Sponsoring Organization:
US Department of Energy (US)
DOE Contract Number:
W-31109-ENG-38
OSTI ID:
751873
Report Number(s):
ANL/CHM/CP-100848; TRN: AH200018%%115
Resource Relation:
Conference: 219th American Chemical Society National Meeting, San Francisco, CA (US), 03/26/2000--03/30/2000; Other Information: PBD: 13 Jan 2000
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English