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Nanoscale Lacing by Electrons
Author(s) -
Cheng HanWen,
Wang Jie,
Li YongJun,
Li Jing,
Yan Shan,
Shan Shiyao,
Wang Lingyan,
Skeete Zakiya,
Zhong ChuanJian
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
small
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.785
H-Index - 236
eISSN - 1613-6829
pISSN - 1613-6810
DOI - 10.1002/smll.201800598
Subject(s) - nanoclusters , nucleation , nanoscopic scale , nanotechnology , materials science , nanoparticle , electron , transmission electron microscopy , nanostructure , chemical physics , chemistry , physics , organic chemistry , quantum mechanics
The ability to harness the optical or electrical properties of nanoscale particles depends on their assembly in terms of size and spatial characteristics which remains challenging due to lack of size focusing. Electrons provide a clean and focusing agent to initiate the assembly of nanoclusters or nanoparticles. Here an intriguing route is demonstrated to lace gold nanoclusters and nanoparticles in string assembly through electron‐initiated nucleation and aggregative growth of Au(I)‐thiolate motifs on a thin film substrate. This size‐focused assembly is demonstrated by controlling the electron dose under transmission electron microscopic imaging conditions. The Au(I)‐thiolate motifs, in combination with the molecularly mediated alignment, facilitate the interstring electrostatic and intrastring aurophilic interactions, which functions as a molecular template to aid electron‐initiated 1D lacing. The findings demonstrate a hierarchical route for the 1D assemblies with size and spatial tunable catalytic, optical, sensing, and diagnostic properties.