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Surfactant‐Free Self‐Assembly of Nanocrystals into Ellipsoidal Architectures
Author(s) -
Peng Bo,
Chen Dong,
Deng Zhengtao,
Wen Ting,
Meng Xianwei,
Ren Xiangling,
Ren Jun,
Tang Fangqiong
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
chemphyschem
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.016
H-Index - 140
eISSN - 1439-7641
pISSN - 1439-4235
DOI - 10.1002/cphc.201000458
Subject(s) - ostwald ripening , nanocrystal , self assembly , nanotechnology , materials science , chemical physics , dipole , micrometer , pulmonary surfactant , nanoparticle , chemical engineering , chemistry , physics , organic chemistry , optics , engineering
A simple approach to control the self‐assembly of ZnS nanocrystals into well‐defined, uniform, three‐dimensional, micrometer‐scale, solid ellipsoidal structures with rattle‐type, multishelled, and hollow architectures is presented. There is no surfactant or small molecule to assist the self‐assembly of the nanocrystals. A possible mechanism of the controlled self‐assembly is proposed. The growth process can be divided into two stages: 1) the formation of ellipsoidal architectures via oriented aggregation, the growth kinetics of which is primarily attributed to the charge–charge, charge–dipole, and dipole–dipole interactions of preformed ZnS nanocrystals; and 2) Ostwald ripening, which results in multishelled, rattle‐type, and hollow structures. This self‐assembly concept is also applicable to other metal sulfides.