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Template‐Free Supracolloidal Self‐Assembly of Atomically Precise Gold Nanoclusters: From 2D Colloidal Crystals to Spherical Capsids
Author(s) -
Lahtinen Tanja,
Haataja Johannes. S.,
Tero TiiaRiikka,
Häkkinen Hannu,
Ikkala Olli
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
angewandte chemie international edition
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 5.831
H-Index - 550
eISSN - 1521-3773
pISSN - 1433-7851
DOI - 10.1002/anie.201609036
Subject(s) - nanoclusters , self assembly , materials science , monolayer , colloid , colloidal crystal , nanotechnology , dispersity , hydrogen bond , crystallography , aqueous solution , chemical physics , chemical engineering , chemistry , polymer chemistry , molecule , organic chemistry , engineering
We report supracolloidal self‐assembly of atomically precise and strictly monodisperse gold nanoclusters involving p ‐mercaptobenzoic acid ligands (Au 102 ‐ p MBA 44 ) under aqueous conditions into hexagonally packed monolayer‐thick two‐dimensional facetted colloidal crystals (thickness 2.7 nm) and their bending to closed shells leading to spherical capsids ( d ca. 200 nm), as controlled by solvent conditions. The 2D colloidal assembly is driven in template‐free manner by the spontaneous patchiness of the p MBA ligands around the Au 102 ‐ p MBA 44 nanoclusters preferably towards equatorial plane, thus promoting inter‐nanocluster hydrogen bonds and high packing to planar sheets. More generally, the findings encourage to explore atomically precise nanoclusters towards highly controlled colloidal self‐assemblies.