1
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Lavagna E, Salassi S, Bochicchio D, Rossi G. Dumbbells, chains, and ribbons: anisotropic self-assembly of isotropic nanoparticles. NANOSCALE 2023; 15:15153-15160. [PMID: 37671876 PMCID: PMC10540935 DOI: 10.1039/d3nr02384b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2023] [Accepted: 08/16/2023] [Indexed: 09/07/2023]
Abstract
Functionalizing the surface of metal nanoparticles can assure their stability in solution or mediate their self-assembly into aggregates with controlled shapes. Here we present a computational study of the colloidal aggregation of gold nanoparticles (Au NPs) isotropically functionalized by a mixture of charged and hydrophobic ligands. We show that, by varying the relative proportion of the two ligands, the NPs form anisotropic aggregates with markedly different topologies: dumbbells, chains, or ribbons. In all cases, two kinds of connections keep the aggregates together: hydrophobic bonds and ion bridges. We show that the anisotropy of the aggregates derives from the NP shell reshaping due to the formation of the hydrophobic links, while ion bridges are accountable for the "secondary structure" of the aggregates. Our findings provide a general physical principle that can also be exploited in different self-assembled systems: anisotropic/directional aggregation can be achieved starting from isotropic objects with a soft, deformable surface.
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Affiliation(s)
- Enrico Lavagna
- Physics Department, University of Genoa, Via Dodecaneso 33, 16146 Genoa, Italy.
| | - Sebastian Salassi
- Physics Department, University of Genoa, Via Dodecaneso 33, 16146 Genoa, Italy.
| | - Davide Bochicchio
- Physics Department, University of Genoa, Via Dodecaneso 33, 16146 Genoa, Italy.
| | - Giulia Rossi
- Physics Department, University of Genoa, Via Dodecaneso 33, 16146 Genoa, Italy.
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2
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Borsley S, Edwards W, Mati IK, Poss G, Diez-Castellnou M, Marro N, Kay ER. A General One-Step Synthesis of Alkanethiyl-Stabilized Gold Nanoparticles with Control over Core Size and Monolayer Functionality. CHEMISTRY OF MATERIALS : A PUBLICATION OF THE AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY 2023; 35:6168-6177. [PMID: 37576587 PMCID: PMC10413864 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemmater.3c01506] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2023] [Indexed: 08/15/2023]
Abstract
In spite of widespread interest in the unique size-dependent properties and consequent applications of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs), synthetic protocols that reliably allow for independent tuning of surface chemistry and core size, the two critical determinants of AuNP properties, remain limited. Often, core size is inherently affected by the ligand structure in an unpredictable fashion. Functionalized ligands are commonly introduced using postsynthesis exchange procedures, which can be inefficient and operationally delicate. Here, we report a one-step protocol for preparing monolayer-stabilized AuNPs that is compatible with a wide range of ligand functional groups and also allows for the systematic control of core size. In a single-phase reaction using the mild reducing agent tert-butylamine borane, AuNPs that are compatible with solvents spanning a wide range of polarities from toluene to water can be produced without damaging reactive chemical functionalities within the small-molecule surface-stabilizing ligands. We demonstrate that the rate of reduction, which is easily controlled by adjusting the period over which the reducing agent is added, is a simple parameter that can be used irrespective of the ligand structure to adjust the core size of AuNPs without broadening the size distribution. Core sizes in the range of 2-10 nm can thus be generated. The upper size limit appears to be determined by the nature of each specific ligand/solvent pairing. This protocol produces high quality, functionally sophisticated nanoparticles in a single step. By combining the ability to vary size-related nanoparticle properties with the option to incorporate reactive functional groups at the nanoparticle-solvent interface, it is possible to generate chemically reactive colloidal building blocks from which more complex nanoparticle-based devices and materials may subsequently be constructed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefan Borsley
- EaStCHEM School of Chemistry, University of St Andrews, North Haugh, St Andrews KY16 9ST, U.K.
| | - William Edwards
- EaStCHEM School of Chemistry, University of St Andrews, North Haugh, St Andrews KY16 9ST, U.K.
| | - Ioulia K. Mati
- EaStCHEM School of Chemistry, University of St Andrews, North Haugh, St Andrews KY16 9ST, U.K.
| | - Guillaume Poss
- EaStCHEM School of Chemistry, University of St Andrews, North Haugh, St Andrews KY16 9ST, U.K.
| | - Marta Diez-Castellnou
- EaStCHEM School of Chemistry, University of St Andrews, North Haugh, St Andrews KY16 9ST, U.K.
| | - Nicolas Marro
- EaStCHEM School of Chemistry, University of St Andrews, North Haugh, St Andrews KY16 9ST, U.K.
| | - Euan R. Kay
- EaStCHEM School of Chemistry, University of St Andrews, North Haugh, St Andrews KY16 9ST, U.K.
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3
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Shinohara A, Shinmori H. Singlet Oxygen Generation Driven by Sulfide Ligand Exchange on Porphyrin-Gold Nanoparticle Conjugates. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24087600. [PMID: 37108763 PMCID: PMC10146049 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24087600] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2023] [Revised: 04/13/2023] [Accepted: 04/18/2023] [Indexed: 04/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Here, we report a switching method of singlet oxygen (1O2) generation based on the adsorption/desorption of porphyrins to gold nanoparticles driven by sulfide (thiol or disulfide) compounds. The generation of 1O2 by photosensitization is effectively suppressed by the gold nanoparticles and can be restored by a sulfide ligand exchange reaction. The on/off ratio of 1O2 quantum yield (ΦΔ) reached 7.4. By examining various incoming sulfide compounds, it was found that the ligand exchange reaction on the gold nanoparticle surface could be thermodynamically or kinetically controlled. The remaining gold nanoparticles in the system still suppress the generation of 1O2, which can be precipitated out simultaneously with porphyrin desorption by the proper polarity choice of the incoming sulfide to restore the 1O2 generation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Akira Shinohara
- Polymer Chemistry Group, Sagami Chemical Research Institute, Yokohama 252-1193, Japan
- Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Life and Environmental Science, Graduate Faculty of Interdisciplinary Research, University of Yamanashi, Yamanashi 400-8510, Japan
| | - Hideyuki Shinmori
- Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Life and Environmental Science, Graduate Faculty of Interdisciplinary Research, University of Yamanashi, Yamanashi 400-8510, Japan
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4
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Gong S, Wang T, Lin J, Wang L. Patterning of Polymer-Functionalized Nanoparticles with Varied Surface Mobilities of Polymers. MATERIALS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 16:1254. [PMID: 36770260 PMCID: PMC9920074 DOI: 10.3390/ma16031254] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2022] [Revised: 01/28/2023] [Accepted: 01/30/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
The polymers can be either dynamically tethered to or permanently grafted to the nanoparticle to produce polymer-functionalized nanoparticles. The surface mobility of polymer ligands with one end anchored to the nanoparticle can affect the surface pattern, but the effect remains unclear. Here, we addressed the influence of lateral polymer mobility on surface patterns by performing self-consistent field theory calculations on a modeled polymer-functionalized nanoparticle consisting of immobile and mobile brushes. The results show that except for the radius of nanoparticles and grafting density, the fraction of mobile brushes substantially influences the surface patterning of polymer-functionalized nanoparticles, including striped patterns and patchy patterns with various patches. The number of patches on a nanoparticle increases as the fraction of mobile brushes decreases, favored by the entropy of immobile brushes. Critically, we found that broken symmetry usually occurs in patchy nanoparticles, associated with the balance of enthalpic and entropic effects. The present work provides a fundamental understanding of the dependence of surface patterning on lateral polymer mobility. The work could also guide the preparation of diversified nanopatterns, especially for the asymmetric patchy nanoparticles, enabling the fundamental investigation of the interaction between polymer-functionalized nanoparticles.
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5
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Gabellini C, Şologan M, Pellizzoni E, Marson D, Daka M, Franchi P, Bignardi L, Franchi S, Posel Z, Baraldi A, Pengo P, Lucarini M, Pasquato L, Posocco P. Spotting Local Environments in Self-Assembled Monolayer-Protected Gold Nanoparticles. ACS NANO 2022; 16:20902-20914. [PMID: 36459668 PMCID: PMC9798909 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.2c08467] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2022] [Accepted: 11/29/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Organic-inorganic (O-I) nanomaterials are versatile platforms for an incredible high number of applications, ranging from heterogeneous catalysis to molecular sensing, cell targeting, imaging, and cancer diagnosis and therapy, just to name a few. Much of their potential stems from the unique control of organic environments around inorganic sites within a single O-I nanomaterial, which allows for new properties that were inaccessible using purely organic or inorganic materials. Structural and mechanistic characterization plays a key role in understanding and rationally designing such hybrid nanoconstructs. Here, we introduce a general methodology to identify and classify local (supra)molecular environments in an archetypal class of O-I nanomaterials, i.e., self-assembled monolayer-protected gold nanoparticles (SAM-AuNPs). By using an atomistic machine-learning guided workflow based on the Smooth Overlap of Atomic Positions (SOAP) descriptor, we analyze a collection of chemically different SAM-AuNPs and detect and compare local environments in a way that is agnostic and automated, i.e., with no need of a priori information and minimal user intervention. In addition, the computational results coupled with experimental electron spin resonance measurements prove that is possible to have more than one local environment inside SAMs, being the thickness of the organic shell and solvation primary factors in the determining number and nature of multiple coexisting environments. These indications are extended to complex mixed hydrophilic-hydrophobic SAMs. This work demonstrates that it is possible to spot and compare local molecular environments in SAM-AuNPs exploiting atomistic machine-learning approaches, establishes ground rules to control them, and holds the potential for the rational design of O-I nanomaterials instructed from data.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cristian Gabellini
- Department
of Engineering and Architecture, University
of Trieste, 34127 Trieste, Italy
| | - Maria Şologan
- Department
of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences and INSTM Trieste Research
Unit, University of Trieste, 34127 Trieste, Italy
| | - Elena Pellizzoni
- Department
of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences and INSTM Trieste Research
Unit, University of Trieste, 34127 Trieste, Italy
| | - Domenico Marson
- Department
of Engineering and Architecture, University
of Trieste, 34127 Trieste, Italy
| | - Mario Daka
- Department
of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences and INSTM Trieste Research
Unit, University of Trieste, 34127 Trieste, Italy
| | - Paola Franchi
- Department
of Chemistry “G. Ciamician”, University of Bologna, I-40126 Bologna, Italy
| | - Luca Bignardi
- Department
of Physics, University of Trieste, 34127 Trieste, Italy
| | - Stefano Franchi
- Elettra
Sincrotrone Trieste, 34149 Basovizza, Trieste, Italy
| | - Zbyšek Posel
- Department
of Informatics, Jan Evangelista Purkyně
University, 400 96 Ústí nad Labem, Czech Republic
| | | | - Paolo Pengo
- Department
of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences and INSTM Trieste Research
Unit, University of Trieste, 34127 Trieste, Italy
| | - Marco Lucarini
- Department
of Chemistry “G. Ciamician”, University of Bologna, I-40126 Bologna, Italy
| | - Lucia Pasquato
- Department
of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences and INSTM Trieste Research
Unit, University of Trieste, 34127 Trieste, Italy
| | - Paola Posocco
- Department
of Engineering and Architecture, University
of Trieste, 34127 Trieste, Italy
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6
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Lapresta-Fernández A, Nefeli Athanasopoulou E, Jacob Silva P, Pelin Güven Z, Stellacci F. Site-selective surface enhanced Raman scattering study of ligand exchange reactions on aggregated Ag nanocubes. J Colloid Interface Sci 2022; 616:110-120. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jcis.2022.02.051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2021] [Revised: 01/19/2022] [Accepted: 02/12/2022] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
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7
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Yang J, Li X, Zhang J, Zhou Y, Wang Y. Direct Formation of Colloidal All-Inorganic Metal Nanocrystals from Magic-Size Clusters. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2022; 14:22838-22846. [PMID: 35080849 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.1c20953] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
All-inorganic metal nanocrystals (NCs) offer an ideal platform for atomically precise surface design and show improved electrocatalytic activity compared to conventional NCs capped with organic ligands. Here, we show the possibility of obtaining colloidal all-inorganic Au NCs directly from magic-size clusters (MSCs) with the assistance of inorganic molecules, NOBF4 or Na2S2O8. The unique advantages of NOBF4 or Na2S2O8 as both oxidizing agents and stripping ligands are taken to tune the surface state of Au25(PET)18-TOA+ MSCs and assemble them to form either positively or negatively charged all-inorganic Au NCs. We show that positively charged all-inorganic Au NCs can be further modified with different functional groups, which provide the possibility to meet the target requirements. We found that the negatively charged NCs exhibit improved faradaic efficiency (FE = 92%) for the reduction of CO2 to CO at -0.369 V (vs RHE) and a 5-fold increase in current density compared to organic-capped Au NCs (FE = 67%). In addition, we extended this approach to other MSCs and formed all-inorganic metal NCs with different compositions and morphologies. The use of simple inorganic ligands to induce the conversion from MSCs to metal NCs enriches the current solution process of synthesizing all-inorganic NCs and can open up more opportunities for designing colloidal nanocrystal catalysts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinling Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Coordination Chemistry, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, China
| | - Xiang Li
- State Key Laboratory of Coordination Chemistry, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, China
| | - Jianrong Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Coordination Chemistry, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, China
| | - Yang Zhou
- Institute of Advanced Materials (IAM), Nanjing University of Posts & Telecommunications, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Yuanyuan Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Coordination Chemistry, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, China
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8
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Trzciński JW, Panariello L, Besenhard MO, Yang Y, Gavriilidis A, Guldin S. Synthetic guidelines for the precision engineering of gold nanoparticles. Curr Opin Chem Eng 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.coche.2020.05.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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9
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Luther DC, Huang R, Jeon T, Zhang X, Lee YW, Nagaraj H, Rotello VM. Delivery of drugs, proteins, and nucleic acids using inorganic nanoparticles. Adv Drug Deliv Rev 2020; 156:188-213. [PMID: 32610061 PMCID: PMC8559718 DOI: 10.1016/j.addr.2020.06.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 146] [Impact Index Per Article: 36.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2020] [Revised: 06/17/2020] [Accepted: 06/18/2020] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
Inorganic nanoparticles provide multipurpose platforms for a broad range of delivery applications. Intrinsic nanoscopic properties provide access to unique magnetic and optical properties. Equally importantly, the structural and functional diversity of gold, silica, iron oxide, and lanthanide-based nanocarriers provide unrivalled control of nanostructural properties for effective transport of therapeutic cargos, overcoming biobarriers on the cellular and organismal level. Taken together, inorganic nanoparticles provide a key addition to the arsenal of delivery vectors for fighting disease and improving human health.
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Affiliation(s)
- David C Luther
- Department of Chemistry, University of Massachusetts Amherst, 710 N. Pleasant St., Amherst, MA 01003, USA
| | - Rui Huang
- Department of Chemistry, University of Massachusetts Amherst, 710 N. Pleasant St., Amherst, MA 01003, USA
| | - Taewon Jeon
- Department of Chemistry, University of Massachusetts Amherst, 710 N. Pleasant St., Amherst, MA 01003, USA; Molecular and Cellular Biology Graduate Program, University of Massachusetts Amherst, 710 N. Pleasant St., Amherst, MA 01003, USA
| | - Xianzhi Zhang
- Department of Chemistry, University of Massachusetts Amherst, 710 N. Pleasant St., Amherst, MA 01003, USA
| | - Yi-Wei Lee
- Department of Chemistry, University of Massachusetts Amherst, 710 N. Pleasant St., Amherst, MA 01003, USA
| | - Harini Nagaraj
- Department of Chemistry, University of Massachusetts Amherst, 710 N. Pleasant St., Amherst, MA 01003, USA
| | - Vincent M Rotello
- Department of Chemistry, University of Massachusetts Amherst, 710 N. Pleasant St., Amherst, MA 01003, USA.
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10
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Galati E, Tao H, Rossner C, Zhulina EB, Kumacheva E. Morphological Transitions in Patchy Nanoparticles. ACS NANO 2020; 14:4577-4584. [PMID: 32176471 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.0c00108] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Nanoparticles (NPs) decorated with topographically or chemically distinct surface patches are an emerging class of colloidal building blocks of functional hierarchical materials. Surface segregation of polymer ligands into pinned micelles offers a strategy for the generation of patchy NPs with controlled spatial distribution and number of patches. The thermodynamic nature of this approach poses a question about the stability of multiple patches on the NP surface, as the lowest energy state is expected for NPs carrying a single patch. In the present work, for gold NPs end-grafted with thiol-terminated polymer molecules, we show that the patchy surface morphology is preserved under conditions of strong grafting of the thiol groups to the NP surface (i.e., up to a temperature of 40 °C), although the patch shape changes over time. At higher temperatures (e.g., at 80 °C), the number of patches per NP decreases, due to the increased lateral mobility and coalescence of the patches as well as the ultimate loss of the polymer ligands due to desorption at enhanced solvent quality. The experimental results were rationalized theoretically, using a scaling approach. The results of this work offer insight into the surface science of patchy nanocolloids and specify the time and temperature ranges of the applications of patchy NPs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth Galati
- Department of Chemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5S 3H6, Canada
| | - Huachen Tao
- Department of Chemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5S 3H6, Canada
| | - Christian Rossner
- Department of Chemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5S 3H6, Canada
- Leibniz-Institut für Polymerforschung Dresden e.V., Institut für Physikalische Chemie und Physik der Polymere, D-01069 Dresden, Germany
| | - Ekaterina B Zhulina
- Institute of Macromolecular Compounds of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Saint Petersburg 199004, Russia
| | - Eugenia Kumacheva
- Department of Chemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5S 3H6, Canada
- Institute of Biomaterials and Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5S 3G9, Canada
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Applied Chemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5S 3E5, Canada
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11
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Gao H, Liu H, Zhang R, Lu Z. Structure Evolution of Binary Ligands on Nanoparticles Triggered by Competition between Adsorption Reaction and Phase Separation. J Phys Chem B 2019; 123:10311-10321. [PMID: 31710227 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.9b09338] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
The ligand shell of a nanoparticle (NP) determines most of the interfacial properties through its composition and structure. Despite widespread study over the years, the factors impacting the ligand shell structures, especially the effects of ligand-adsorption kinetics in solution, are still not clear and even conflict with each other. We have developed an adsorption-migration reaction model to study the dynamic evolution processes of binary ligands on NP surfaces during adsorption reaction. Apparent dependence of the structure of ligand shells on ligand-adsorption and phase-separation rates has been found, which induces the formation of different shell patterns, including Janus, patchy, stripe, and island patterns. The formation process of these patterns accords with different reaction kinetic pathways, depending on the nature of ligands. Further screening the role of the NPs' curvature reveals that it can indirectly influence the ligand-adsorption and phase-separation kinetics. As the NPs' curvature increases, an accelerated ligand-adsorption and phase-separation process on NPs will happen, resulting in the preferential formation of more ordered Janus or stripe patterns. These results suggest that controlling the reaction kinetics is key to effectively regulating the composition and morphology of binary ligands on NPs. They also provide principles for guiding the experimental studies to fabricate novel NPs with a functional surface for use in broad nanoscience fields.
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12
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Tao H, Chen L, Galati E, Manion JG, Seferos DS, Zhulina EB, Kumacheva E. Helicoidal Patterning of Gold Nanorods by Phase Separation in Mixed Polymer Brushes. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2019; 35:15872-15879. [PMID: 31402668 DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.9b02001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
The spatial distribution of polymer ligands on the surface of nanoparticles (NPs) is of great importance because it determines their interactions with each other and with the surrounding environment. Phase separation in mixtures of polymer brushes has been studied for spherical NPs; however, the role of local surface curvature of nonspherical NPs in the surface phase separation of end-grafted polymer ligands remains an open question. Here, we examined phase separation in mixed monolayers of incompatible polystyrene and poly(ethylene glycol) brushes end-capping the surface of gold nanorods in a good solvent. By varying the molar ratio between these polymers, we generated a range of surface patterns, including uniform and nonuniform polystyrene shells, randomly distributed polystyrene surface patches, and, most interestingly, a helicoidal pattern of polystyrene patches wrapping around the nanorods. The helicoidally patterned nanorods exhibited long-term colloidal stability in a good solvent. The helicoidal wrapping of the nanorods was achieved for the mixtures of polymers with different molecular weights and preserved when the quality of the solvent for the polymers was reduced. The helicoidal organization of polymer patches on the surface of nanorods can be used for templating the synthesis or self-assembly of helicoidal multicomponent nanomaterials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huachen Tao
- Department of Chemistry , University of Toronto , Toronto , Ontario M5S 3H6 , Canada
| | - Linye Chen
- Department of Chemistry , University of Toronto , Toronto , Ontario M5S 3H6 , Canada
| | - Elizabeth Galati
- Department of Chemistry , University of Toronto , Toronto , Ontario M5S 3H6 , Canada
| | - Joseph G Manion
- Department of Chemistry , University of Toronto , Toronto , Ontario M5S 3H6 , Canada
| | - Dwight S Seferos
- Department of Chemistry , University of Toronto , Toronto , Ontario M5S 3H6 , Canada
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Applied Chemistry , University of Toronto , Toronto , Ontario M5S 3E5 , Canada
| | - Ekaterina B Zhulina
- Institute of Macromolecular Compounds of the Russian Academy of Sciences , Saint Petersburg 199004 , Russian Federation
| | - Eugenia Kumacheva
- Department of Chemistry , University of Toronto , Toronto , Ontario M5S 3H6 , Canada
- Institute of Biomaterials and Biomedical Engineering , University of Toronto , Toronto , Ontario M5S 3G9 , Canada
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Applied Chemistry , University of Toronto , Toronto , Ontario M5S 3E5 , Canada
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13
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Determination and evaluation of the nonadditivity in wetting of molecularly heterogeneous surfaces. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2019; 116:25516-25523. [PMID: 31792179 PMCID: PMC6926055 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1916180116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Every folded protein presents an interface with water that is composed of domains of varying hydrophilicity/-phobicity. Many simulation studies have highlighted the nonadditivity in the wetting of such nanostructured surfaces in contrast with the accepted theoretical formula that is additive. We present here an experimental study on surfaces of identical composition but different organization of hydrophobic and hydrophilic domains. We prove that the interfacial energy of such surfaces differs by ∼20% and that a significant difference in the interfacial water H-bonding structure can be measured. As a result, in combination with molecular-dynamics simulations, we propose a model that captures the wetting of molecularly heterogeneous surfaces, showing the importance of local structure (first-nearest neighbors) in determining the wetting properties. The interface between water and folded proteins is very complex. Proteins have “patchy” solvent-accessible areas composed of domains of varying hydrophobicity. The textbook understanding is that these domains contribute additively to interfacial properties (Cassie’s equation, CE). An ever-growing number of modeling papers question the validity of CE at molecular length scales, but there is no conclusive experiment to support this and no proposed new theoretical framework. Here, we study the wetting of model compounds with patchy surfaces differing solely in patchiness but not in composition. Were CE to be correct, these materials would have had the same solid–liquid work of adhesion (WSL) and time-averaged structure of interfacial water. We find considerable differences in WSL, and sum-frequency generation measurements of the interfacial water structure show distinctively different spectral features. Molecular-dynamics simulations of water on patchy surfaces capture the observed behaviors and point toward significant nonadditivity in water density and average orientation. They show that a description of the molecular arrangement on the surface is needed to predict its wetting properties. We propose a predictive model that considers, for every molecule, the contributions of its first-nearest neighbors as a descriptor to determine the wetting properties of the surface. The model is validated by measurements of WSL in multiple solvents, where large differences are observed for solvents whose effective diameter is smaller than ∼6 Å. The experiments and theoretical model proposed here provide a starting point to develop a comprehensive understanding of complex biological interfaces as well as for the engineering of synthetic ones.
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14
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Factors Influencing the Activity of Nanozymes in the Cleavage of an RNA Model Substrate. Molecules 2019; 24:molecules24152814. [PMID: 31374998 PMCID: PMC6696475 DOI: 10.3390/molecules24152814] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2019] [Revised: 07/25/2019] [Accepted: 07/30/2019] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
A series of 2-nm gold nanoparticles passivated with different thiols all featuring at least one triazacyclonanone-Zn(II) complex and different flanking units (a second Zn(II) complex, a triethyleneoxymethyl derivative or a guanidinium of arginine of a peptide) were prepared and studied for their efficiency in the cleavage of the RNA-model substrate 2-hydroxypropyl-p-nitrophenyl phosphate. The source of catalysis for each of them was elucidated from the kinetic analysis (Michaelis–Menten profiles, pH dependence and kinetic isotope effect). The data indicated that two different mechanisms were operative: One involving two Zn(II) complexes and the other one involving a single Zn(II) complex and a flanking guanidinium cation. The mechanism based on a dinuclear catalytic site appeared more efficient than the one based on the cooperativity between a metal complex and a guanidinium.
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15
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Merz SN, Hoover E, Egorov SA, DuBay KH, Green DL. Predicting the effect of chain-length mismatch on phase separation in noble metal nanoparticle monolayers with chemically mismatched ligands. SOFT MATTER 2019; 15:4498-4507. [PMID: 31094390 DOI: 10.1039/c9sm00264b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Nanoparticles (NPs) protected with a ligand monolayer hold promise for a wide variety of applications, from photonics and catalysis to drug delivery and biosensing. Monolayers that include a mixture of ligand types can have multiple chemical functionalities and may also self-assemble into advantageous patterns. Previous work has shown that both chemical and length mismatches among these surface ligands influence phase separation. In this work, we examine the interplay between these driving forces, first by using our previously-developed configurationally-biased Monte Carlo (CBMC) algorithm to predict, then by using our matrix assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry (MALDI-MS) technique to experimentally probe, the surface morphologies of a series of two-ligand mixtures on the surfaces of ultrasmall silver NPs. Specifically, we examine three such mixtures, each of which has the same chemical mismatch (consisting of a hydrophobic alkanethiol and a hydrophilic mercapto-alcohol), but varying degrees of chain-length mismatch. This delicate balance between chemical and length mismatches provides a challenging test for our CBMC prediction algorithm. Even so, the simulations are able to quantitatively predict the MALDI-MS results for all three ligand mixtures, while also providing atomic-scale details from the equilibrated ligand structures, such as patch sizes and co-crystallization patterns. The resulting monolayer morphologies range from randomly-mixed to Janus-like, demonstrating that chain-length modifications are an effective way to tune monolayer morphology without needing to alter chemical functionalities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steven N Merz
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Virginia, Thornton Hall, P.O. Box 400259, Charlottesville, VA 22904, USA.
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Zhao K, Niu W, Wang Y, Zhang S. Electrophilic substitution reaction as a facile and general approach for reactive removal of native ligands from nanocrystals surface. NANOTECHNOLOGY 2019; 30:015701. [PMID: 30359328 DOI: 10.1088/1361-6528/aae682] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Surface property that strongly affects physical and chemical performances of inorganic nanocrystals (NCs) is a key enabler for NCs applications. Here, we report a facile, versatile and general strategy for reactive removal of NCs surface ligands based on electrophilic substitution reaction, in which an electrophile directly reacts with the electron-rich coordinating headgroup of surface-tethered ligands to form a non-coordinating product. This process leads to the break of NC-ligand bond, thereby achieving reactive removal of surface ligands. Based on this strategy, various hydrophobic NCs with different compositions and morphologies can be transferred into polar and hydrophilic media while preserving their size and shape. More importantly, the treated NCs present a great improvement in catalytic and biological performances in comparison with the untreated counterparts. This work not only provides a versatile ligand removal strategy for NCs surface modification but also opens up more opportunities for applications in the fields of electronics, catalysis and biotechnology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kai Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Fine Chemicals, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, 116024, People's Republic of China
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Mao J, Wang S, Ji W, Zhang M. DNA-nanohydrogel self-assembled gold nanoparticles: co-profiling of multiple small molecule reductants in rat brain. Chem Commun (Camb) 2019; 55:9019-9022. [DOI: 10.1039/c9cc03578h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
DNA nanohydrogel self-assembled AuNPs were established for small molecule reductant profiling in rat brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinpeng Mao
- Department of Chemistry
- Renmin University of China
- Beijing
- China
| | - Shujun Wang
- Department of Chemistry
- Renmin University of China
- Beijing
- China
| | - Wenliang Ji
- Department of Chemistry
- Renmin University of China
- Beijing
- China
| | - Meining Zhang
- Department of Chemistry
- Renmin University of China
- Beijing
- China
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Hosier CA, Ackerson CJ. Regiochemistry of Thiolate for Selenolate Ligand Exchange on Gold Clusters. J Am Chem Soc 2018; 141:309-314. [PMID: 30532966 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.8b10013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
Ligand exchange is a fundamental reaction of metal nanoparticles. Multiple symmetry and kinetic exchange environments are observed for thiolate protected gold nanoparticles, but the correlation between these is unclear. Structural study of ligand exchange on chalcogenide passivated gold clusters has so-far revealed the locations of 10% or fewer of incoming ligands. In a set of 13 crystal structures, we reveal the locations of up to 17 ligands of the 18 ligands in thiolate for selenolate exchanged Au25(SeR)18- x(SR) x clusters. Overall, we see a distinct preference for the locations of thiolate and selenolate ligands that emerges over time. This most-comprehensive to-date structural study of ligand exchange on gold clusters evidences a structural basis for exchange of solvated ligands, exchange of ligands between clusters, and a net reaction that amounts to translation of ligands on the cluster surface.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher A Hosier
- Department of Chemistry , Colorado State University , Fort Collins , Colorado 80523 , United States
| | - Christopher J Ackerson
- Department of Chemistry , Colorado State University , Fort Collins , Colorado 80523 , United States
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Merz SN, Farrell ZJ, Pearring J, Hoover E, Kester M, Egorov SA, Green DL, DuBay KH. Computational and Experimental Investigation of Janus-like Monolayers on Ultrasmall Noble Metal Nanoparticles. ACS NANO 2018; 12:11031-11040. [PMID: 30347139 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.8b05188] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Detection of monolayer morphology on nanoparticles smaller than 10 nm has proven difficult with traditional visualization techniques. Here matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization mass spectrometry (MALDI-MS) is used in conjunction with atomistic simulations to detect the formation of Janus-like monolayers on noble metal nanoparticles. Silver metal nanoparticles were synthesized with a monolayer consisting of dodecanethiol (DDT) and mercaptoethanol (ME) at varying ratios. The nanoparticles were then analyzed using MALDI-MS, which gives information on the local ordering of ligands on the surface. The MALDI-MS analysis showed large deviations from random ordering, suggesting phase separation of the DDT/ME monolayers. Atomistic Monte Carlo (MC) calculations were then used to simulate the nanoscale morphology of the DDT/ME monolayers. In order to quantitatively compare the computational and experimental results, we developed a method for determining an expected MALDI-MS spectrum from the atomistic simulation. Experiments and simulations show quantitative agreement, and both indicate that the DDT/ME ligands undergo phase separation, resulting in Janus-like nanoparticle monolayers with large, patchy domains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steven N Merz
- Department of Chemical Engineering , University of Virginia , 102 Engineers Way , Charlottesville , Virginia 22904 , United States
| | - Zachary J Farrell
- Department of Chemical Engineering , University of Virginia , 102 Engineers Way , Charlottesville , Virginia 22904 , United States
| | - Joseph Pearring
- Department of Chemical Engineering , University of Virginia , 102 Engineers Way , Charlottesville , Virginia 22904 , United States
| | - Elise Hoover
- Department of Biomedical Engineering , University of Virginia , Thornton Hall , P.O. Box 400259, Charlottesville , Virginia 22904 , United States
| | - Mark Kester
- School of Medicine , University of Virginia , 1215 Lee Street , Charlottesville , Virginia 22908 , United States
| | - Sergei A Egorov
- Department of Chemistry , University of Virginia , McCormick Road , PO Box 400319, Charlottesville , Virginia 22904 , United States
- Leibniz Institute for Polymer Research Dresden , Hohe Strasse 6 , D-01069 Dresden , Germany
| | - David L Green
- Department of Chemical Engineering , University of Virginia , 102 Engineers Way , Charlottesville , Virginia 22904 , United States
| | - Kateri H DuBay
- Department of Chemistry , University of Virginia , McCormick Road , PO Box 400319, Charlottesville , Virginia 22904 , United States
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Mass spectrometry and Monte Carlo method mapping of nanoparticle ligand shell morphology. Nat Commun 2018; 9:4478. [PMID: 30367040 PMCID: PMC6203843 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-06939-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2018] [Accepted: 10/02/2018] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Janus, patchy, stripe-like, or random arrangements of molecules within the ligand shell of nanoparticles affect many properties. Among all existing ligand shell morphology characterization methods, the one based on mass spectroscopy is arguably the simplest. Its greatest limitation is that the results are qualitative. Here, we use a tailor-made Monte Carlo type program that fits the whole MALDI spectrum and generates a 3D model of the ligand shell. Quantitative description of the ligand shell in terms of nearest neighbor distribution and characteristic length scale can be readily extracted by the model, and are compared with the results of other characterization methods. A parameter related to the intermolecular interaction is extracted when this method is combined with NMR. This approach could become the routine method to characterize the ligand shell morphology of many nanoparticles and we provide an open access program to facilitate its use. Determining the arrangement of ligands on a nanoparticle is challenging, given the limitations of existing characterization tools. Here, the authors describe an accessible method for resolving ligand shell morphology that uses simple MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry measurements in conjunction with an open-access Monte Carlo fitting program.
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Marsh ZM, Lantz KA, Stefik M. QCM detection of molecule-nanoparticle interactions for ligand shells of varying morphology. NANOSCALE 2018; 10:19107-19116. [PMID: 30298160 DOI: 10.1039/c8nr05605f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Nanoparticles (NP) have widespread applications from sensing to drug delivery where much behavior is determined by the nature of the surface and the resulting intermolecular interactions with the local environment. Ligand mixtures enable continuously tunable behavior where both the composition and morphology influence molecular interactions. Mixed ligand shells form multiple morphologies ranging from Janus to patchy and stripe-like with varying domain dimensions. Solvent-NP interactions are generally measured by solubility measures alone. Here we develop a quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) approach to more broadly quantify molecule-NP interactions via vapor phase uptake into solid NP-films independent from solvation constraints. The composition and morphology of mixed ligand shells were found to exhibit pronounced non-monotonic behavior that deviated from continuum thermodynamics, highlighting the influence of ligand morphology upon absorption/adsorption. Alkyl and perfluorinated thiols were used as a model case with constant core-size distribution. The ligand morphology was determined by 19F NMR. Molecule uptake into NPs was measured with five benzene derivatives with varied degree of fluorination. For the cases examined, QCM measurements revealed enhanced uptake for patchy morphologies and suppressed uptake for stripe-like morphologies. These results contrast with insights from solubility measures alone where QCM sometimes identified significant molecular uptake of poor solvents. This QCM method thus provides new insights to molecule-NP interactions independent of the solvation shell.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zachary M Marsh
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC 29208, USA.
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Yang Y, Serrano LA, Guldin S. A Versatile AuNP Synthetic Platform for Decoupled Control of Size and Surface Composition. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2018; 34:6820-6826. [PMID: 29768005 DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.8b00353] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
While a plethora of protocols exist for the synthesis of sub-10-nm gold nanoparticles (AuNPs), independent control over the size and surface composition remains restricted. This poses a particular challenge for systematic studies of AuNP structure-function relationships and the optimization of crucial design parameters. To this end, we report on a modular two-step approach based on the synthesis of AuNPs in oleylamine (OAm) followed by subsequent functionalization with thiol ligands and mixtures thereof. The synthesis of OAm-capped AuNPs enables fine-tuning of the core size in the range of 2-7 nm by varying the reaction temperature. The subsequent thiol-for-OAm ligand exchange allows a reliable generation of thiol-capped AuNPs with target surface functionality. The compatibility of this approach with a vast library of thiol ligands provides detailed control of the mixed ligand composition and solubility in a wide range of solvents ranging from water to hexane. This decoupled control over the AuNP core and ligand shell provides a powerful toolbox for the methodical screening of optimal design parameters and facile preparation of AuNPs with target properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ye Yang
- Department of Chemical Engineering , University College London , Torrington Place , London WC1E 7JE , U.K
| | - Luis A Serrano
- Department of Chemical Engineering , University College London , Torrington Place , London WC1E 7JE , U.K
| | - Stefan Guldin
- Department of Chemical Engineering , University College London , Torrington Place , London WC1E 7JE , U.K
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Luo Z, Marson D, Ong QK, Loiudice A, Kohlbrecher J, Radulescu A, Krause-Heuer A, Darwish T, Balog S, Buonsanti R, Svergun DI, Posocco P, Stellacci F. Quantitative 3D determination of self-assembled structures on nanoparticles using small angle neutron scattering. Nat Commun 2018; 9:1343. [PMID: 29632331 PMCID: PMC5890256 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-03699-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2017] [Accepted: 03/02/2018] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The ligand shell (LS) determines a number of nanoparticles’ properties. Nanoparticles’ cores can be accurately characterized; yet the structure of the LS, when composed of mixture of molecules, can be described only qualitatively (e.g., patchy, Janus, and random). Here we show that quantitative description of the LS’ morphology of monodisperse nanoparticles can be obtained using small-angle neutron scattering (SANS), measured at multiple contrasts, achieved by either ligand or solvent deuteration. Three-dimensional models of the nanoparticles’ core and LS are generated using an ab initio reconstruction method. Characteristic length scales extracted from the models are compared with simulations. We also characterize the evolution of the LS upon thermal annealing, and investigate the LS morphology of mixed-ligand copper and silver nanoparticles as well as gold nanoparticles coated with ternary mixtures. Our results suggest that SANS combined with multiphase modeling is a versatile approach for the characterization of nanoparticles’ LS. The ligand shell of a nanoparticle remains difficult to resolve, as the available characterization methods provide only qualitative information. Here, the authors introduce an approach based on small-angle neutron scattering that can quantitatively reveal the organization of ligands in mixed-monolayer nanoparticles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhi Luo
- Institute of Materials, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, 1015, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Domenico Marson
- Department of Engineering and Architecture and INSTM Trieste Unit, University of Trieste, 34127, Trieste, Italy
| | - Quy K Ong
- Institute of Materials, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, 1015, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Anna Loiudice
- Institute of Chemical Sciences and Engineering, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, 1015, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Joachim Kohlbrecher
- Laboratory for Neutron Scattering and Imaging, Paul-Scherrer Institute, 5232, Villigen, Switzerland
| | - Aurel Radulescu
- Jülich Center for Neutron Science, JCNS at Heinz Maier-Leibnitz Zentrum, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, 85747, Garching, Germany
| | - Anwen Krause-Heuer
- The National Deuteration Facility, Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation, Kirrawee DC, NSW, 2232, Australia
| | - Tamim Darwish
- The National Deuteration Facility, Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation, Kirrawee DC, NSW, 2232, Australia
| | - Sandor Balog
- Adolphe Merkle Institute, University of Fribourg, 1700, Fribourg, Switzerland
| | - Raffaella Buonsanti
- Institute of Chemical Sciences and Engineering, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, 1015, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Dmitri I Svergun
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Hamburg Unit, EMBL c/o DESY, 22603, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Paola Posocco
- Department of Engineering and Architecture and INSTM Trieste Unit, University of Trieste, 34127, Trieste, Italy
| | - Francesco Stellacci
- Institute of Materials, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, 1015, Lausanne, Switzerland.
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Tirotta I, Calloni A, Pigliacelli C, Brambilla A, Bussetti G, Duò L, Metrangolo P, Baldelli Bombelli F. Chemical characterization of fluorinated/hydrogenated mixed monolayers grafted on gold nanoparticles. J Fluor Chem 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jfluchem.2017.12.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
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