Open AccessNanoparticle assembly by confinement in wrinkles: experiment and simulations
Author(s) -
Alexandra Schweikart,
Andrea Fortini,
Alexander Wittemann,
Matthias Schmidt,
Andreas Fery
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
soft matter
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.99
H-Index - 170
eISSN - 1744-6848
pISSN - 1744-683X
DOI - 10.1039/c0sm00744g
Subject(s) - nanoparticle , materials science , planar , particle (ecology) , colloid , nanotechnology , monte carlo method , spheres , dispersion (optics) , colloidal particle , morphology (biology) , polygon mesh , chemical physics , chemical engineering , optics , chemistry , physics , geometry , computer science , geology , paleontology , oceanography , computer graphics (images) , statistics , mathematics , astronomy , engineering
We created hierarchically ordered structures of nanoparticles on smooth planar hydrophilic substrates by drying colloidal dispersions in confinement under macroscopic stamps with microscopically wrinkled surfaces. Experiments were carried out with model nanoparticle suspensions that possess high colloidal stability and monodispersity. The structures ranged from single parallel lines of particles to arrays of dense prismatic ridges. The type of observed structure could be controlled by the particle concentration in the initial dispersion. Confinement between two crossed stamps led to interconnected meshes of particles. The precise morphology could be predicted in all cases by Monte Carlo computer simulations of confined hard spheres. Our findings open up possibilities for versatile nanoparticle assembly on surfaces. © 2010 The Royal Society of Chemistry
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