Phys.org August 19, 2024
Nanoparticle self-assembly offers a scalable and versatile means to fabricate next-generation materials. The prevalence of metastable and nonequilibrium states during the assembly process makes the final structure and function directly dependent upon formation pathways. A team of researchers in the US (Indiana University, University of Michigan) used liquid-cell transmission electron microscopy to image complete self-assembly processes of gold nanocubes, a model shape-anisotropic nanocolloidal system, into distinct superlattices. Theoretical analysis and molecular dynamics simulations indicated that the electrostatic screening of the medium dictated self-assembly pathways by its effects on the interactions between nanocubes. They leveraged this understanding to demonstrate on-the-fly control of assembly behavior through rapid solvent exchange. According to the researchers their experiment–simulation–theory investigation opens new avenues for the bottom-up design of reconfigurable and adaptive metamaterials… read more. TECHNICAL ARTICLE
Charge screening controls the self-assembly phase behavior of gold nanocubes. Credit: Nature Chemical Engineering volume 1, pages 532–541, 06 August 2024