1
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Missoni LL, Upah A, Zaldívar G, Travesset A, Tagliazucchi M. Solvent Isotherms and Structural Transitions in Nanoparticle Superlattice Assembly. NANO LETTERS 2024; 24:5270-5276. [PMID: 38647381 DOI: 10.1021/acs.nanolett.4c00875] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/25/2024]
Abstract
We introduce a Molecular Theory for Compressible Fluids (MOLT-CF) that enables us to compute free energies and other thermodynamic functions for nanoparticle superlattices with any solvent content, including the dry limit. Quantitative agreement is observed between MOLT-CF and united-atom molecular dynamics simulations performed to assess the reliability and precision of the theory. Among other predictions, MOLT-CF shows that the amount of solvent within the superlattice decreases approximately linearly with its vapor pressure and that in the late stages of drying, solvent-filled voids form at lattice interstitials. Applied to single-component superlattices, MOLT-CF predicts fcc-to-bcc Bain transitions for decreasing vapor pressure and for increasing ligand length, both in agreement with experimental results. We explore the stability of other single-component phases and show that the C14 Frank-Kasper phase, which has been reported in experiments, is not a global free-energy minimum. Implications for precise assembly and prediction of multicomponent nanoparticle systems are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leandro L Missoni
- Departamento de Química Inorgánica Analítica y Química Física, Ciudad Universitaria, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Pabellón 2, C1428EGA Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Instituto de Química de los Materiales, Ambiente y Energía (INQUIMAE), Ciudad Universitaria, CONICET, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Pabellón 2, C1428EGA Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Alex Upah
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Iowa State University and Ames National Laboratory, Ames, Iowa 50011, United States
| | - Gervasio Zaldívar
- Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering, University of Chicago, 5640 S. Ellis Avenue, Chicago, Illinois 60637, United States
| | - Alex Travesset
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Iowa State University and Ames National Laboratory, Ames, Iowa 50011, United States
| | - Mario Tagliazucchi
- Departamento de Química Inorgánica Analítica y Química Física, Ciudad Universitaria, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Pabellón 2, C1428EGA Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Instituto de Química de los Materiales, Ambiente y Energía (INQUIMAE), Ciudad Universitaria, CONICET, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Pabellón 2, C1428EGA Buenos Aires, Argentina
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2
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John-Erik Reinertsen R, Jiménez-Ángeles F, Kewalramani S, Bedzyk M, Olvera de la Cruz M. Transformations in crystals of DNA-functionalized nanoparticles by electrolytes. Faraday Discuss 2024; 249:408-423. [PMID: 37791509 DOI: 10.1039/d3fd00109a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/05/2023]
Abstract
Colloidal crystals have applications in water treatments, including water purification and desalination technologies. It is, therefore, important to understand the interactions between colloids as a function of electrolyte concentration. We study the assembly of DNA-grafted gold nanoparticles immersed in concentrated electrolyte solutions. Increasing the concentration of divalent Ca2+ ions leads to the condensation of nanoparticles into face-centered-cubic (FCC) crystals at low electrolyte concentrations. As the electrolyte concentration increases, the system undergoes a phase change to body-centered-cubic (BCC) crystals. This phase change occurs as the interparticle distance decreases. Molecular dynamics analysis suggests that the interparticle interactions change from strongly repulsive to short-range attractive as the divalent-electrolyte concentration increases. A thermodynamic analysis suggests that increasing the salt concentration leads to significant dehydration of the nanoparticle environment. We conjecture that the intercolloid attractive interactions and dehydrated states favour the BCC structure. Our results gain insight into salting out of colloids such as proteins as the concentration of salt increases in the solution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roger John-Erik Reinertsen
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, USA.
| | - Felipe Jiménez-Ángeles
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, USA.
| | - Sumit Kewalramani
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, USA.
| | - Michael Bedzyk
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, USA.
| | - Monica Olvera de la Cruz
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, USA.
- Department of Physics, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, USA
- Department of Chemistry, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, USA
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3
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Yin JF, Amidani L, Chen J, Li M, Xue B, Lai Y, Kvashnina K, Nyman M, Yin P. Spatiotemporal Studies of Soluble Inorganic Nanostructures with X-rays and Neutrons. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2024; 63:e202310953. [PMID: 37749062 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202310953] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2023] [Revised: 09/23/2023] [Accepted: 09/25/2023] [Indexed: 09/27/2023]
Abstract
This Review addresses the use of X-ray and neutron scattering as well as X-ray absorption to describe how inorganic nanostructured materials assemble, evolve, and function in solution. We first provide an overview of techniques and instrumentation (both large user facilities and benchtop). We review recent studies of soluble inorganic nanostructure assembly, covering the disciplines of materials synthesis, processes in nature, nuclear materials, and the widely applicable fundamental processes of hydrophobic interactions and ion pairing. Reviewed studies cover size regimes and length scales ranging from sub-Ångström (coordination chemistry and ion pairing) to several nanometers (molecular clusters, i.e. polyoxometalates, polyoxocations, and metal-organic polyhedra), to the mesoscale (supramolecular assembly processes). Reviewed studies predominantly exploit 1) SAXS/WAXS/SANS (small- and wide-angle X-ray or neutron scattering), 2) PDF (pair-distribution function analysis of X-ray total scattering), and 3) XANES and EXAFS (X-ray absorption near-edge structure and extended X-ray absorption fine structure, respectively). While the scattering techniques provide structural information, X-ray absorption yields the oxidation state in addition to the local coordination. Our goal for this Review is to provide information and inspiration for the inorganic/materials science communities that may benefit from elucidating the role of solution speciation in natural and synthetic processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jia-Fu Yin
- State Key Laboratory of Luminescent Materials and Devices, South China Advanced Institute for Soft Matter Science and Technology, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510640, China
| | - Lucia Amidani
- The Rossendorf Beamline at ESRF, The European Synchrotron, CS40220, 38043, Grenoble Cedex 9, France
- Institute of Resource Ecology, Helmholtz Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR) P.O. Box 510119, 01314, Dresden, Germany
| | - Jiadong Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Luminescent Materials and Devices, South China Advanced Institute for Soft Matter Science and Technology, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510640, China
| | - Mu Li
- Institute of Advanced Science Facilities, Shenzhen, 518107, China
| | - Binghui Xue
- State Key Laboratory of Luminescent Materials and Devices, South China Advanced Institute for Soft Matter Science and Technology, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510640, China
| | - Yuyan Lai
- State Key Laboratory of Luminescent Materials and Devices, South China Advanced Institute for Soft Matter Science and Technology, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510640, China
| | - Kristina Kvashnina
- The Rossendorf Beamline at ESRF, The European Synchrotron, CS40220, 38043, Grenoble Cedex 9, France
- Institute of Resource Ecology, Helmholtz Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR) P.O. Box 510119, 01314, Dresden, Germany
| | - May Nyman
- Department of Chemistry, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, 97330, USA
| | - Panchao Yin
- State Key Laboratory of Luminescent Materials and Devices, South China Advanced Institute for Soft Matter Science and Technology, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510640, China
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4
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Hu L, Li Q, Luo Y, Jin B, Chi S, Li X. Controllable One-Step Assembly of Uniform Liquid Crystalline Block Copolymer Cylindrical Micelles by a Tailored Nucleation-Growth Process and Their Application as Tougheners. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2023; 62:e202310022. [PMID: 37648679 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202310022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2023] [Revised: 08/29/2023] [Accepted: 08/30/2023] [Indexed: 09/01/2023]
Abstract
The fabrication of uniform cylindrical nanoobjects from soft materials has attracted tremendous research attention from both fundamental research and practical application points of view but has also posed outstanding challenges in terms of their preparation. Herein, we report a one-step method to assemble cylindrical micelles (CMs) with highly controllable lengths from a single liquid crystalline block copolymer by an in situ nucleation-growth strategy. By adjusting the assembly conditions, the lengths of the CMs are controlled from hundreds of nanometers to micrometers. Several influencing factors are systematically investigated to comprehensively understand the process. Particularly, the solvent quality is found determinative in either enhancing or suppressing the nucleation process to produce shorter and longer CMs, respectively. Taking advantage of this strategy, the lengths of CMs can be nicely controlled over a wide concentration range of four orders of magnitude. Lastly, CMs are produced on decent scales and applied as additives to dramatically toughen glassy plastic matrix, revealing an unprecedented length-dependent toughening effect.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lingjuan Hu
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing, 100081, China
| | - Qin Li
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing, 100081, China
| | - Yunjun Luo
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing, 100081, China
- Key Laboratory of High Energy Density Materials, MOE. Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing, 100081, China
| | - Bixin Jin
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing, 100081, China
| | - Shumeng Chi
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing, 100081, China
- Experimental Centre of Advanced Materials, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing, 100081, China
| | - Xiaoyu Li
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing, 100081, China
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5
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Hasan MR, Niebuur BJ, Siebrecht M, Kuttich B, Schweins R, Widmer-Cooper A, Kraus T. The Colloidal Stability of Apolar Nanoparticles in Solvent Mixtures. ACS NANO 2023; 17:9302-9312. [PMID: 37163685 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.3c00812] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
Solvent engineering is a powerful and versatile method to tune colloidal stability. Here, we link the molecular structure of apolar ligand shells on gold nanoparticles with their colloidal stability in solvent mixtures. The agglomeration temperature of the particles was measured with small-angle X-ray scattering. It depended on solvent composition and changed linearly for hexane-hexadecane mixtures, but nonlinearly for cyclohexane-hexadecane and hexanol-hexadecane mixtures. Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations indicate that agglomeration is dominated by temperature-dependent ligand order in the alkane mixtures and that the temperature at which the ligand shell orders depends on the solvent composition near the ligands, which can differ substantially from the bulk composition. Small-angle neutron scattering confirmed that, at intermediate solvent compositions above the agglomeration temperature, the fraction of cyclohexane near the ligands was larger than in the bulk. The enrichment of cyclohexane near the ligands stabilized their disordered state, which, consequently, led to the experimentally observed nonlinear trend of the agglomeration temperature. In contrast, hexanol was depleted from the ligand shell at all temperatures. This again stabilized the disordered state. Furthermore, we found that agglomeration at high hexanol fractions was driven by a solvophobic effect that exceeded the influence of ligand order. The results show that strong nonlinearities in the colloidal stability of nanoparticle dispersions in solvent mixtures are directly linked to the molecular details of ligand-solvent and solvent-solvent interactions, which can be used to precisely tune stability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammad Rashedul Hasan
- ARC Centre of Excellence in Exciton Science, School of Chemistry, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales 2006, Australia
| | - Bart-Jan Niebuur
- INM - Leibniz Institute for New Materials, Campus D2 2, 66123 Saarbrücken, Germany
| | - Martin Siebrecht
- INM - Leibniz Institute for New Materials, Campus D2 2, 66123 Saarbrücken, Germany
| | - Björn Kuttich
- INM - Leibniz Institute for New Materials, Campus D2 2, 66123 Saarbrücken, Germany
| | - Ralf Schweins
- Institut Laue-Langevin, 71 Avenue des Martyrs, CS 20156, 38042 Grenoble, France
| | - Asaph Widmer-Cooper
- ARC Centre of Excellence in Exciton Science, School of Chemistry, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales 2006, Australia
- The University of Sydney Nano Institute, University of Sydney, 66123 Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Tobias Kraus
- INM - Leibniz Institute for New Materials, Campus D2 2, 66123 Saarbrücken, Germany
- Colloid and Interface Chemistry, Saarland University, Campus D2 2, 66123 Saarbrücken, Germany
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6
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Yee DW, Lee MS, An J, Macfarlane RJ. Reversible Diffusionless Phase Transitions in 3D Nanoparticle Superlattices. J Am Chem Soc 2023; 145:6051-6056. [PMID: 36898204 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.3c01286] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/12/2023]
Abstract
Nanocomposite tectons (NCTs), polymer brush-grafted nanoparticles that use supramolecular interactions to drive their assembly, form ordered nanoparticle superlattices (NPSLs) with well-defined unit cell symmetries when thermally annealed. In this work, we demonstrate that appropriate assembly and processing conditions can also enable control over the microstructure of NCT lattices by balancing the enthalpic and entropic factors associated with ligand packing and supramolecular bonding during crystallization. Unary systems of NCTs are assembled via the addition of a small molecule capable of binding to multiple nanoparticle ligands; these NCTs initially form face-centered-cubic (FCC) structures in solvents that are favorable for the particles' polymer brushes. However, the FCC lattices undergo a reversible, diffusionless phase transition to body-centered-cubic (BCC) lattices when transferred to a solvent that induces polymer brush collapse. The BCC superlattices maintain the same crystal habit as the parent FCC phase but exhibit significant transformation twinning similar to that seen in martensitic alloys. This previously unseen diffusionless phase transformation in NPSLs enables unique microstructural features in the resulting assemblies, suggesting that NPSLs could serve as models for the investigation of microstructural evolution in crystalline systems and extend our understanding of NPSLs as atomic material analogues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daryl W Yee
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - Margaret S Lee
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - Joyce An
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - Robert J Macfarlane
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
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7
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Erik Beck E, Weimer A, Feld A, Vonk V, Noei H, Lott D, Jeromin A, Kulkarni S, Giuntini D, Plunkett A, Domènech B, Schneider GA, Vossmeyer T, Weller H, Keller TF, Stierle A. Solvent controlled 2D structures of bottom-up fabricated nanoparticle superlattices. NANOSCALE 2023; 15:4506-4514. [PMID: 36753337 DOI: 10.1039/d2nr03043h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
We demonstrate that oleyl phosphate ligand-stabilized iron oxide nanocubes as building blocks can be assembled into 2D supercrystalline mono- and multilayers on flat YSZ substrates within a few minutes using a simple spin-coating process. As a bottom-up process, the growth takes place in a layer-by-layer mode and therefore by tuning the spin-coating parameters, the exact number of deposited monolayers can be controlled. Furthermore, ex situ scanning electron and atomic force microscopy as well as X-ray reflectivity measurements give evidence that the choice of solvent allows the control of the lattice type of the final supercrystalline monolayers. This observation can be assigned to the different Hansen solubilities of the solvents used for the nanoparticle dispersion because it determines the size and morphology of the ligand shell surrounding the nanoparticle core. Here, by using toluene and chloroform as solvents, it can be controlled whether the resulting monolayers are ordered in a square or hexagonal supercrystalline lattice.
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Affiliation(s)
- E Erik Beck
- Centre for X-ray and Nano Science, Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron (DESY), Germany.
| | - Agnes Weimer
- Institute of Physical Chemistry, Universität Hamburg, Germany
| | - Artur Feld
- Institute of Physical Chemistry, Universität Hamburg, Germany
| | - Vedran Vonk
- Centre for X-ray and Nano Science, Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron (DESY), Germany.
| | - Heshmat Noei
- Centre for X-ray and Nano Science, Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron (DESY), Germany.
| | | | - Arno Jeromin
- Centre for X-ray and Nano Science, Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron (DESY), Germany.
| | - Satishkumar Kulkarni
- Centre for X-ray and Nano Science, Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron (DESY), Germany.
| | - Diletta Giuntini
- Institute of Advanced Ceramics, Hamburg University of Technology, Germany
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Eindhoven University of Technology, Netherlands
| | - Alexander Plunkett
- Institute of Advanced Ceramics, Hamburg University of Technology, Germany
| | - Berta Domènech
- Institute of Advanced Ceramics, Hamburg University of Technology, Germany
- ams-OSRAM International GmbH, ams OSRAM Group, Leibnizstr. 4, 93055 Regensburg, Germany
| | - Gerold A Schneider
- Institute of Advanced Ceramics, Hamburg University of Technology, Germany
| | | | - Horst Weller
- Institute of Physical Chemistry, Universität Hamburg, Germany
- Fraunhofer Center for Applied Nanotechnology, Grindelallee 117, 20146 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Thomas F Keller
- Centre for X-ray and Nano Science, Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron (DESY), Germany.
- Physics Department, Universität Hamburg, Germany
| | - Andreas Stierle
- Institute of Physical Chemistry, Universität Hamburg, Germany
- Physics Department, Universität Hamburg, Germany
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8
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Liao Z, Niu Y, Wang Z, Chen J, Sun X, Dong L, Wang C. A "Nonsolvent Quenching" Strategy for 3D Printing of Polysaccharide Scaffolds with Immunoregulatory Accuracy. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2022; 9:e2203236. [PMID: 36156431 PMCID: PMC9731704 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202203236] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2022] [Revised: 09/07/2022] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
3D printing enables the customized design of implant structures for accurately regulating host responses. However, polysaccharides, as a major biomaterial category with versatile immune activities, are typically "non-printable" due to the collapse of their filaments extruded during printing. This challenge renders their potential as immunomodulatory scaffolds underexploited. Here, inspired by the quench hardening in metal processing, a nonsolvent quenching (NSQ) strategy is innovatively designed for the 3D printing of polysaccharides. Through rapid solvent exchanging, NSQ instantly induces surface hardening to strengthen the polysaccharide filaments upon extrusion, requiring neither chemical modification nor physical blending that alters the material properties. Tested with five polysaccharides with varying physicochemical properties, NSQ prints predesigned structures at organ-relevant scales and a long shelf-life over 3 months. Glucomannan scaffolds, fabricated via NSQ with different grid spacings (1.5 and 2.5 cm), induce distinct host responses upon murine subcutaneous implantation-from specific carbohydrate receptor activation to differential immunocytes accumulation and tissue matrix remodeling-as mechanistically validated in wild-type and Tlr2-/- knockout mice. Overall, NSQ as a facile and generic strategy is demonstrated to fabricate polysaccharide scaffolds with improved shape fidelity, thereby potentially unmasking their accurate immunomodulatory activities for future biomaterials design.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhencheng Liao
- State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese MedicineInstitute of Chinese Medicine & Department of Pharmaceutical SciencesFaculty of Health ScienceUniversity of MacauTaipaMacau SAR999078China
| | - Yiming Niu
- State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese MedicineInstitute of Chinese Medicine & Department of Pharmaceutical SciencesFaculty of Health ScienceUniversity of MacauTaipaMacau SAR999078China
| | - Zhenzhen Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical BiotechnologySchool of Life SciencesNanjing UniversityNanjingJiangsu210093China
| | - Jiaxi Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese MedicineInstitute of Chinese Medicine & Department of Pharmaceutical SciencesFaculty of Health ScienceUniversity of MacauTaipaMacau SAR999078China
- Zhuhai UM Science & Technology Research Institute (ZUMRI)HengqinGuangdong519031China
| | - Xiaoyan Sun
- Research Center for Tissue Repair and Regeneration affiliated to the Medical Innovation Research Department and 4th Medical CenterPLA General Hospital and PLA Medical College28 Fu Xing RoadBeijing100853P. R. China
| | - Lei Dong
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical BiotechnologySchool of Life SciencesNanjing UniversityNanjingJiangsu210093China
| | - Chunming Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese MedicineInstitute of Chinese Medicine & Department of Pharmaceutical SciencesFaculty of Health ScienceUniversity of MacauTaipaMacau SAR999078China
- Zhuhai UM Science & Technology Research Institute (ZUMRI)HengqinGuangdong519031China
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9
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Plunkett A, Kampferbeck M, Bor B, Sazama U, Krekeler T, Bekaert L, Noei H, Giuntini D, Fröba M, Stierle A, Weller H, Vossmeyer T, Schneider GA, Domènech B. Strengthening Engineered Nanocrystal Three-Dimensional Superlattices via Ligand Conformation and Reactivity. ACS NANO 2022; 16:11692-11707. [PMID: 35760395 PMCID: PMC9413410 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.2c01332] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
Abstract
Nanocrystal assembly into ordered structures provides mesostructural functional materials with a precise control that starts at the atomic scale. However, the lack of understanding on the self-assembly itself plus the poor structural integrity of the resulting supercrystalline materials still limits their application into engineered materials and devices. Surface functionalization of the nanobuilding blocks with organic ligands can be used not only as a means to control the interparticle interactions during self-assembly but also as a reactive platform to further strengthen the final material via ligand cross-linking. Here, we explore the influence of the ligands on superlattice formation and during cross-linking via thermal annealing. We elucidate the effect of the surface functionalization on the nanostructure during self-assembly and show how the ligand-promoted superlattice changes subsequently alter the cross-linking behavior. By gaining further insights on the chemical species derived from the thermally activated cross-linking and its effect in the overall mechanical response, we identify an oxidative radical polymerization as the main mechanism responsible for the ligand cross-linking. In the cascade of reactions occurring during the surface-ligands polymerization, the nanocrystal core material plays a catalytic role, being strongly affected by the anchoring group of the surface ligands. Ultimately, we demonstrate how the found mechanistic insights can be used to adjust the mechanical and nanostructural properties of the obtained nanocomposites. These results enable engineering supercrystalline nanocomposites with improved cohesion while preserving their characteristic nanostructure, which is required to achieve the collective properties for broad functional applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Plunkett
- Institute
of Advanced Ceramics, Hamburg University
of Technology, 21073 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Michael Kampferbeck
- Institute
of Physical Chemistry, University of Hamburg, 20146 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Büsra Bor
- Institute
of Advanced Ceramics, Hamburg University
of Technology, 21073 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Uta Sazama
- Institute
of Inorganic and Applied Chemistry, University
of Hamburg, 20146 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Tobias Krekeler
- Electron
Microscopy Unit, Hamburg University of Technology, 21073 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Lieven Bekaert
- Research
Group of Electrochemical and Surface Engineering, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, 1050 Brussels, Belgium
| | - Heshmat Noei
- Center
for X-ray and Nano Science CXNS, Deutsches
Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Diletta Giuntini
- Institute
of Advanced Ceramics, Hamburg University
of Technology, 21073 Hamburg, Germany
- Department
of Mechanical Engineering, Eindhoven University
of Technology, 5600 MB Eindhoven, The Netherlands
| | - Michael Fröba
- Institute
of Inorganic and Applied Chemistry, University
of Hamburg, 20146 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Andreas Stierle
- Center
for X-ray and Nano Science CXNS, Deutsches
Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
- Fachbreich
Physik, University of Hamburg, 20355 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Horst Weller
- Institute
of Physical Chemistry, University of Hamburg, 20146 Hamburg, Germany
- Fraunhofer-CAN, 20146 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Tobias Vossmeyer
- Institute
of Physical Chemistry, University of Hamburg, 20146 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Gerold A. Schneider
- Institute
of Advanced Ceramics, Hamburg University
of Technology, 21073 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Berta Domènech
- Institute
of Advanced Ceramics, Hamburg University
of Technology, 21073 Hamburg, Germany
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10
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Synthesis and Characterization of Anatase TiO2 Nanorods: Insights from Nanorods’ Formation and Self-Assembly. APPLIED SCIENCES-BASEL 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/app12031614] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Highly crystalline, organic-solvent-dispersible titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanorods (NRs) present promising chemicophysical properties in many diverse applications. In this paper, based on a modified procedure from literature, TiO2 NRs were synthesized via a ligand-assisted nonhydrolytic sol-gel route using oleic acid as the solvent, reagent, and ligand and titanium (IV) isopropoxide as the titanium precursor. This procedure produced monodisperse TiO2 NRs, as well as some semi-spherical titania nanocrystals (NCs) that could be removed by size-selective precipitation. X-ray diffraction and selected area electron diffraction results showed that the nanorods were anatase, while the semipheres also contained the TiO2(B) phase. By taking samples during the particle growth, it was found that the average length of the initially grown NRs decreased during the synthesis. Possible reasons for this unusual growth path, partially based on high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) observations during the growth, were discussed. The dispersion of anatase TiO2 nanorods was capable of spontaneous formation of lyotropic liquid crystals on the TEM grid and in bulk. Considering high colloidal stability together with the large optical birefringence displayed by these high refractive index liquid crystalline domains, we believe these TiO2 NRs dispersions are promising candidates for application in transparent and switchable optics.
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11
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van der Sluijs MM, Sanders D, Jansen KJ, Soligno G, Vanmaekelbergh D, Peters JL. On the Formation of Honeycomb Superlattices from PbSe Quantum Dots: The Role of Solvent-Mediated Repulsion and Facet-to-Facet Attraction in NC Self-Assembly and Alignment. THE JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY. C, NANOMATERIALS AND INTERFACES 2022; 126:986-996. [PMID: 35087608 PMCID: PMC8785189 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcc.1c07430] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2021] [Revised: 12/17/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Semiconductor superstructures made from assembled and epitaxially connected colloidal nanocrystals (NCs) hold promise for crystalline solids with atomic and nanoscale periodicity, whereby the band structure can be tuned by the geometry. The formation of especially the honeycomb superstructure on a liquid substrate is far from understood and suffers from weak replicability. Here, we introduce 1,4-butanediol as an unreactive substrate component, which is mixed with reactive ethylene glycol to tune for optimal reactivity. It shows us that the honeycomb superlattice has a NC precursor state before oriented attachment occurs, in the form of a self-assembled hexagonal bilayer. We propose that the difference between the formation of the square or honeycomb superstructure occurs during the self-assembly phase. To form a honeycomb superstructure, it is crucial to stabilize the hexagonal bilayer in the presence of solvent-mediated repulsion. In contrast, a square superstructure benefits from the contraction of a hexagonal monolayer due to the absence of a solvent. A second experiment shows the very last stage of the process, where the increasing alignment of NCs is quantified using selected-area electron diffraction (SAED). The combination of transmission electron microscopy (TEM), SAED, and tomography used in these experiments shows that the (100)/(100) facet-to-facet attraction is the main driving force for NC alignment and attachment. These findings are validated by coarse-grained molecular dynamic simulations, where we show that an optimal NC repulsion is crucial to create the honeycomb superstructure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maaike M van der Sluijs
- Condensed Matter and Interfaces, Debye Institute for Nanomaterials Science, University of Utrecht, Princetonplein 1, 3584 CC Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Dinja Sanders
- Condensed Matter and Interfaces, Debye Institute for Nanomaterials Science, University of Utrecht, Princetonplein 1, 3584 CC Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Kevin J Jansen
- Condensed Matter and Interfaces, Debye Institute for Nanomaterials Science, University of Utrecht, Princetonplein 1, 3584 CC Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Giuseppe Soligno
- Condensed Matter and Interfaces, Debye Institute for Nanomaterials Science, University of Utrecht, Princetonplein 1, 3584 CC Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Daniel Vanmaekelbergh
- Condensed Matter and Interfaces, Debye Institute for Nanomaterials Science, University of Utrecht, Princetonplein 1, 3584 CC Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Joep L Peters
- Condensed Matter and Interfaces, Debye Institute for Nanomaterials Science, University of Utrecht, Princetonplein 1, 3584 CC Utrecht, The Netherlands
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12
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Jansen M, Juranyi F, Yarema O, Seydel T, Wood V. Ligand Dynamics in Nanocrystal Solids Studied with Quasi-Elastic Neutron Scattering. ACS NANO 2021; 15:20517-20526. [PMID: 34878757 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.1c09073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Nanocrystal surfaces are commonly populated by organic ligands, which play a determining role in the optical, electronic, thermal, and catalytic properties of the individual nanocrystals and their assemblies. Understanding the bonding of ligands to nanocrystal surfaces and their dynamics is therefore important for the optimization of nanocrystals for different applications. In this study, we use temperature-dependent, quasi-elastic neutron scattering (QENS) to investigate the dynamics of different surface bound alkanethiols in lead sulfide nanocrystal solids. We select alkanethiols with mono- and dithiol terminations, as well as different backbone types and lengths. QENS spectra are collected both on a time-of-flight spectrometer and on a backscattering spectrometer, allowing us to investigate ligand dynamics in a time range from a few picoseconds to nanoseconds. Through model-based analysis of the QENS data, we find that ligands can either (1) precess around a central axis, while simultaneously rotating around their own molecular axis, or (2) only undergo uniaxial rotation with no precession. We establish the percentage of ligands undergoing each type of motion, the average relaxation times, and activation energies for these motions. We determine, for example, that dithiols which link facets of neighboring nanocrystals only exhibit uniaxial rotation and that longer ligands have higher activation energies and show smaller opening angles of precession due to stronger ligand-ligand interactions. Generally, this work provides insight into the arrangement and dynamics of ligands in nanocrystal solids, which is key to understanding their mechanical and thermal properties, and, more generally, highlights the potential of QENS for studying ligand behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maximilian Jansen
- Department of Information Technology and Electrical Engineering, ETH Zurich, Gloriastrasse 35, CH-8092 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Fanni Juranyi
- Laboratory for Neutron Scattering and Imaging, Paul Scherrer Institute, CH-5232 Villigen PSI, Switzerland
| | - Olesya Yarema
- Department of Information Technology and Electrical Engineering, ETH Zurich, Gloriastrasse 35, CH-8092 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Tilo Seydel
- Institut Laue-Langevin (ILL), 71 Avenue des Martyrs, CS 20156, 38042 Grenoble Cedex 9, France
| | - Vanessa Wood
- Department of Information Technology and Electrical Engineering, ETH Zurich, Gloriastrasse 35, CH-8092 Zurich, Switzerland
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13
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Missoni L, Tagliazucchi M. Body centered tetragonal nanoparticle superlattices: why and when they form? NANOSCALE 2021; 13:14371-14381. [PMID: 34473819 DOI: 10.1039/d0nr08312g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Body centered tetragonal (BCT) phases are structural intermediates between body centered cubic (BCC) and face centered cubic (FCC) structures. However, BCC ↔ FCC transitions may or may not involve a stable BCT intermediate. Interestingly, nanoparticle superlattices usually crystallize in BCT structures, but this phase is much less frequent for colloidal crystals of micrometer-sized particles. Two origins have been proposed for the formation of BCT NPSLs: (i) the influence of the substrate on which the nanoparticle superlattice is deposited, and (ii) non-spherical nanoparticle shapes, combined with the fact that different crystal facets have different ligand organizations. Notably, none of these two mechanisms alone is able to explain the set of available experimental observations. In this work, these two hypotheses were independently tested using a recently developed molecular theory for nanoparticle superlattices that explicitly captures the degrees of freedom associated with the ligands on the nanoparticle surface and the crystallization solvent. We show that the presence of a substrate can stabilize the BCT structure for spherical nanoparticles, but only for very specific combinations of parameters. On the other hand, a truncated-octahedron nanoparticle shape strongly stabilizes BCT structures in a wide region of the phase diagram. In the latter case, we show that the stabilization of BCT results from the geometry of the system and it does not require different crystal facets to have different ligand properties, as previously proposed. These results shed light on the mechanisms of BCT stabilization in nanoparticle superlattices and provide guidelines to control its formation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leandro Missoni
- Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Departamento de Química Inorgánica, Analítica y Química Física, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
- CONICET - Universidad de Buenos Aires. Instituto de Química de los Materiales, Medio Ambiente y Energía (INQUIMAE), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Mario Tagliazucchi
- Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Departamento de Química Inorgánica, Analítica y Química Física, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
- CONICET - Universidad de Buenos Aires. Instituto de Química de los Materiales, Medio Ambiente y Energía (INQUIMAE), Buenos Aires, Argentina
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14
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Liu J, Enomoto K, Takeda K, Inoue D, Pu YJ. Simple cubic self-assembly of PbS quantum dots by finely controlled ligand removal through gel permeation chromatography. Chem Sci 2021; 12:10354-10361. [PMID: 34377421 PMCID: PMC8336479 DOI: 10.1039/d1sc02096j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2021] [Accepted: 07/05/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The geometry in self-assembled superlattices of colloidal quantum dots (QDs) strongly affects their optoelectronic properties and is thus of critical importance for applications in optoelectronic devices. Here, we achieve the selective control of the geometry of colloidal quasi-spherical PbS QDs in highly-ordered two and three dimensional superlattices: Disordered, simple cubic (sc), and face-centered cubic (fcc). Gel permeation chromatography (GPC), not based on size-exclusion effects, is developed to quantitatively and continuously control the ligand coverage of PbS QDs. The obtained QDs can retain their high stability and photoluminescence on account of the chemically soft removal of the ligands by GPC. With increasing ligand coverage, the geometry of the self-assembled superlattices by solution-casting of the GPC-processed PbS QDs changed from disordered, sc to fcc because of the finely controlled ligand coverage and anisotropy on QD surfaces. Importantly, the highly-ordered sc supercrystal usually displays unique superfluorescence and is expected to show high charge transporting properties, but it has not yet been achieved for colloidal quasi-spherical QDs. It is firstly accessible by fine-tuning the QD ligand density using the GPC method here. This selective formation of different geometric superlattices based on GPC promises applications of such colloidal quasi-spherical QDs in high-performance optoelectronic devices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianjun Liu
- RIKEN Center for Emergent Matter Science (CEMS) Wako Saitama 351-0198 Japan
| | - Kazushi Enomoto
- RIKEN Center for Emergent Matter Science (CEMS) Wako Saitama 351-0198 Japan
| | - Kotaro Takeda
- RIKEN Center for Emergent Matter Science (CEMS) Wako Saitama 351-0198 Japan
| | - Daishi Inoue
- RIKEN Center for Emergent Matter Science (CEMS) Wako Saitama 351-0198 Japan
| | - Yong-Jin Pu
- RIKEN Center for Emergent Matter Science (CEMS) Wako Saitama 351-0198 Japan
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15
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Carnis J, Kirner F, Lapkin D, Sturm S, Kim YY, Baburin IA, Khubbutdinov R, Ignatenko A, Iashina E, Mistonov A, Steegemans T, Wieck T, Gemming T, Lubk A, Lazarev S, Sprung M, Vartanyants IA, Sturm EV. Exploring the 3D structure and defects of a self-assembled gold mesocrystal by coherent X-ray diffraction imaging. NANOSCALE 2021; 13:10425-10435. [PMID: 34028473 DOI: 10.1039/d1nr01806j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Mesocrystals are nanostructured materials consisting of individual nanocrystals having a preferred crystallographic orientation. On mesoscopic length scales, the properties of mesocrystals are strongly affected by structural heterogeneity. Here, we report the detailed structural characterization of a faceted mesocrystal grain self-assembled from 60 nm sized gold nanocubes. Using coherent X-ray diffraction imaging, we determined the structure of the mesocrystal with the resolution sufficient to resolve each gold nanoparticle. The reconstructed electron density of the gold mesocrystal reveals its intrinsic structural heterogeneity, including local deviations of lattice parameters, and the presence of internal defects. The strain distribution shows that the average superlattice obtained by angular X-ray cross-correlation analysis and the real, "multidomain" structure of a mesocrystal are very close to each other, with a deviation less than 10%. These results will provide an important impact to understanding the fundamental principles of structuring and self-assembly including ensuing properties of mesocrystals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jerome Carnis
- Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestrasse 85, D-22607 Hamburg, Germany.
| | - Felizitas Kirner
- University of Konstanz, Universitätsstraße 10, 78457 Konstanz, Germany.
| | - Dmitry Lapkin
- Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestrasse 85, D-22607 Hamburg, Germany.
| | - Sebastian Sturm
- Leibniz Institute for Solid State and Materials Research, Helmholtzstraße 20, 01069 Dresden, Germany
| | - Young Yong Kim
- Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestrasse 85, D-22607 Hamburg, Germany.
| | | | - Ruslan Khubbutdinov
- Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestrasse 85, D-22607 Hamburg, Germany. and National Research Nuclear University MEPhI (Moscow Engineering Physics Institute), Kashirskoe shosse 31, 115409 Moscow, Russia
| | - Alexandr Ignatenko
- Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestrasse 85, D-22607 Hamburg, Germany.
| | - Ekaterina Iashina
- Saint-Petersburg State University, University Embankment 7/9, 199034 St Petersburg, Russia
| | - Alexander Mistonov
- Saint-Petersburg State University, University Embankment 7/9, 199034 St Petersburg, Russia
| | | | - Thomas Wieck
- Leibniz Institute for Solid State and Materials Research, Helmholtzstraße 20, 01069 Dresden, Germany
| | - Thomas Gemming
- Leibniz Institute for Solid State and Materials Research, Helmholtzstraße 20, 01069 Dresden, Germany
| | - Axel Lubk
- Leibniz Institute for Solid State and Materials Research, Helmholtzstraße 20, 01069 Dresden, Germany
| | - Sergey Lazarev
- Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestrasse 85, D-22607 Hamburg, Germany. and National Research Tomsk Polytechnic University (TPU), pr. Lenina 30, 634050 Tomsk, Russia
| | - Michael Sprung
- Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestrasse 85, D-22607 Hamburg, Germany.
| | - Ivan A Vartanyants
- Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestrasse 85, D-22607 Hamburg, Germany. and National Research Nuclear University MEPhI (Moscow Engineering Physics Institute), Kashirskoe shosse 31, 115409 Moscow, Russia
| | - Elena V Sturm
- University of Konstanz, Universitätsstraße 10, 78457 Konstanz, Germany.
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16
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Huang X, Zhu J, Ge B, Gerdes F, Klinke C, Wang Z. In Situ Constructing the Kinetic Roadmap of Octahedral Nanocrystal Assembly Toward Controlled Superlattice Fabrication. J Am Chem Soc 2021; 143:4234-4243. [PMID: 33687203 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.0c12087] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Crystallization and growth of anisotropic nanocrystals (NCs) into distinct superlattices were studied in real time, yielding kinetic details and designer parameters for scale-up fabrication of functional materials. Using octahedral PbS NC blocks, we discovered that NC assembly involves a primary lamellar ordering of NC-detached Pb(OA)2 molecules on the front-spreading solvent surfaces. Upon a spontaneous increase of NC concentration during solvent processing, PbS NCs preferentially self-assembled into an orientation-disordered face-centered cubic (fcc) superlattice, which subsequently transformed into a body-centered cubic (bcc) superlattice with single NC-orientational ordering across individual domains. Unlike the deformation-based transformation route claimed previously, this solid-solid phase transformation involved a hidden intermediate formation of a lamellar-confined liquid interface at cost of the disassembly (melting) of small fcc grains. Such highly condensed and liquidized NCs recrystallized into the stable bcc phase with an energy reduction of 1.16 kBT. This energy-favorable and high NC-fraction-driven bcc phase grew as a 2D film at a propagation rate of 0.74 μm/min, smaller than the 1.23 μm/min observed in the early nucleated fcc phase under a dilute NC environment. Taking such insights and defined parameters, we designed experiments to manipulate the NC assembly pathway and achieved scalable fabrication of a large/single bcc supercrystal with coherent ordering of NC translation and atomic plane orientation. This study not only provides a design avenue for controllable fabrication of a large supercrystal with desired superlattices for application but also sheds new light on the nature of crystal nucleation/growth and phase transformation by extending the lengths from the nanoscale into the atomic scale, molecular scale, and microscale levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Huang
- Cornell High Energy Synchrotron Source, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853, United States
| | - Jinlong Zhu
- Department of Physics, South University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518055, China
| | - Binghui Ge
- Key Laboratory of Structure and Functional Regulation of Hybrid Materials of Ministry of Education, Institutes of Physical Science and Information Technology, Anhui University, Hefei, Anhui 230601 China
| | - Frauke Gerdes
- Institute of Physical Chemistry, University of Hamburg, 20146 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Christian Klinke
- Institute of Physics, University of Rostock, 18059 Rostock, Germany.,Department of Chemistry, Swansea University, Singleton Park, Swansea SA2 8PP, Uunited Kingdom
| | - Zhongwu Wang
- Cornell High Energy Synchrotron Source, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853, United States
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17
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Hartley CL, Kessler ML, Dempsey JL. Molecular-Level Insight into Semiconductor Nanocrystal Surfaces. J Am Chem Soc 2021; 143:1251-1266. [PMID: 33442974 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.0c10658] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Semiconductor nanocrystals exhibit attractive photophysical properties for use in a variety of applications. Advancing the efficiency of nanocrystal-based devices requires a deep understanding of the physical defects and electronic states that trap charge carriers. Many of these states reside at the nanocrystal surface, which acts as an interface between the semiconductor lattice and the molecular capping ligands. While a detailed structural and electronic understanding of the surface is required to optimize nanocrystal properties, these materials are at a technical disadvantage: unlike molecular structures, semiconductor nanocrystals lack a specific chemical formula and generally must be characterized as heterogeneous ensembles. Therefore, in order for the field to improve current nanocrystal-based technologies, a creative approach to gaining a "molecular-level" picture of nanocrystal surfaces is required. To this end, an expansive toolbox of experimental and computational techniques has emerged in recent years. In this Perspective, we critically evaluate the insight into surface structure and reactivity that can be gained from each of these techniques and demonstrate how their strategic combination is already advancing our molecular-level understanding of nanocrystal surface chemistry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carolyn L Hartley
- Department of Chemistry, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599-3290, United States
| | - Melody L Kessler
- Department of Chemistry, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599-3290, United States
| | - Jillian L Dempsey
- Department of Chemistry, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599-3290, United States
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18
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Shevchenko EV, Podsiadlo P, Wu X, Lee B, Rajh T, Morin R, Pelton M. Visualizing Heterogeneity of Monodisperse CdSe Nanocrystals by Their Assembly into Three-Dimensional Supercrystals. ACS NANO 2020; 14:14989-14998. [PMID: 33073574 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.0c04864] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
We show that the self-assembly of monodisperse CdSe nanocrystals synthesized at lower temperature (∼310 °C) into three-dimensional supercrystals results in the formation of separate regions within the supercrystals that display photoluminescence at two distinctly different wavelengths. Specifically, the central portions of the supercrystals display photoluminescence and absorption in the orange region of the spectrum, around 585 nm, compared to the 575 nm photoluminescence maximum for the nanocrystals dispersed in toluene. Distinct domains on the surfaces and edges of the supercrystals, by contrast, display photoluminescence and absorption in the green region of the spectrum, around 570 nm. We attribute the different-colored domains to two subpopulations of NCs in the monodisperse ensemble: the nanocrystals in the "orange" regions are chemically stable, whereas the nanocrystals in the "green" regions are partially oxidized. The susceptibility of the "green" nanocrystals to oxidation indicates a lower coverage of capping molecules on these nanocrystals. We propose that the two subpopulations correspond to nanocrystals with different surfaces that we attribute to the polytypism of CdSe.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena V Shevchenko
- Center for Nanoscale Materials, Argonne National Laboratory, 9700 South Cass Avenue, Argonne, Illinois 60439, United States
| | - Paul Podsiadlo
- Center for Nanoscale Materials, Argonne National Laboratory, 9700 South Cass Avenue, Argonne, Illinois 60439, United States
- ExxonMobil Research and Engineering Company, Fuels, Process & Optimization Technology Process Engineering Division, 22777 Springwoods Village, Parkway Spring, Texas 77389, United States
| | - Xiaohua Wu
- Center for Nanoscale Materials, Argonne National Laboratory, 9700 South Cass Avenue, Argonne, Illinois 60439, United States
- Mindray, Mindray Building, Hitech Industrial Park, Nanshan District, Shenzhen 518057, China
| | - Byeongdu Lee
- Advanced Photon Source, Argonne National Laboratory, 9700 South Cass Avenue, Argonne, Illinois 60439, United States
| | - Tijana Rajh
- Center for Nanoscale Materials, Argonne National Laboratory, 9700 South Cass Avenue, Argonne, Illinois 60439, United States
| | - Rachel Morin
- Department of Physics, UMBC (University of Maryland, Baltimore County), 1000 Hilltop Circle, Baltimore, Maryland 20912, United States
| | - Matthew Pelton
- Center for Nanoscale Materials, Argonne National Laboratory, 9700 South Cass Avenue, Argonne, Illinois 60439, United States
- Department of Physics, UMBC (University of Maryland, Baltimore County), 1000 Hilltop Circle, Baltimore, Maryland 20912, United States
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19
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Sun Y, Chen C, Liu J, Liu L, Tuo W, Zhu H, Lu S, Li X, Stang PJ. Self-Assembly of Porphyrin-Based Metallacages into Octahedra. J Am Chem Soc 2020; 142:17903-17907. [DOI: 10.1021/jacs.0c08058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Yan Sun
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu 225002, P. R. China
- Department of Chemistry, University of Utah, 315 South 1400 East, Room 2020, Salt Lake City, Utah 84112, United States
| | - Chongyi Chen
- Faculty of Materials Science and Chemical Engineering, Ningbo University, Ningbo, Zhejiang 315211, P. R. China
| | - Jianbo Liu
- Department of Chemistry, University of Utah, 315 South 1400 East, Room 2020, Salt Lake City, Utah 84112, United States
| | - Lizhe Liu
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Nanotechnology and Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Microstructures, National Laboratory of Solid State Microstructures, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210093, P. R. China
| | - Wei Tuo
- Department of Chemistry, University of Utah, 315 South 1400 East, Room 2020, Salt Lake City, Utah 84112, United States
| | - Huangtianzhi Zhu
- Department of Chemistry, University of Utah, 315 South 1400 East, Room 2020, Salt Lake City, Utah 84112, United States
| | - Shuai Lu
- College of Chemistry and Environmental Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518055, P. R. China
- College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan 450001, P. R. China
| | - Xiaopeng Li
- College of Chemistry and Environmental Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518055, P. R. China
| | - Peter J. Stang
- Department of Chemistry, University of Utah, 315 South 1400 East, Room 2020, Salt Lake City, Utah 84112, United States
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20
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Deng K, Luo Z, Tan L, Quan Z. Self-assembly of anisotropic nanoparticles into functional superstructures. Chem Soc Rev 2020; 49:6002-6038. [PMID: 32692337 DOI: 10.1039/d0cs00541j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 119] [Impact Index Per Article: 29.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/28/2024]
Abstract
Self-assembly of colloidal nanoparticles (NPs) into superstructures offers a flexible and promising pathway to manipulate the nanometer-sized particles and thus make full use of their unique properties. This bottom-up strategy builds a bridge between the NP regime and a new class of transformative materials across multiple length scales for technological applications. In this field, anisotropic NPs with size- and shape-dependent physical properties as self-assembly building blocks have long fascinated scientists. Self-assembly of anisotropic NPs not only opens up exciting opportunities to engineer a variety of intriguing and complex superlattice architectures, but also provides access to discover emergent collective properties that stem from their ordered arrangement. Thus, this has stimulated enormous research interests in both fundamental science and technological applications. This present review comprehensively summarizes the latest advances in this area, and highlights their rich packing behaviors from the viewpoint of NP shape. We provide the basics of the experimental techniques to produce NP superstructures and structural characterization tools, and detail the delicate assembled structures. Then the current understanding of the assembly dynamics is discussed with the assistance of in situ studies, followed by emergent collective properties from these NP assemblies. Finally, we end this article with the remaining challenges and outlook, hoping to encourage further research in this field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kerong Deng
- Department of Chemistry, Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, Key Laboratory of Energy Conversion and Storage Technologies, Ministry of Education, Southern University of Science and Technology (SUSTech), Shenzhen, Guangdong 518055, China.
| | - Zhishan Luo
- Department of Chemistry, Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, Key Laboratory of Energy Conversion and Storage Technologies, Ministry of Education, Southern University of Science and Technology (SUSTech), Shenzhen, Guangdong 518055, China.
| | - Li Tan
- Department of Chemistry, Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, Key Laboratory of Energy Conversion and Storage Technologies, Ministry of Education, Southern University of Science and Technology (SUSTech), Shenzhen, Guangdong 518055, China.
| | - Zewei Quan
- Department of Chemistry, Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, Key Laboratory of Energy Conversion and Storage Technologies, Ministry of Education, Southern University of Science and Technology (SUSTech), Shenzhen, Guangdong 518055, China.
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21
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Missoni LL, Tagliazucchi M. The Phase Behavior of Nanoparticle Superlattices in the Presence of a Solvent. ACS NANO 2020; 14:5649-5658. [PMID: 32286787 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.0c00076] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Superlattices of nanoparticles coated by alkyl-chain ligands are usually prepared from a stable solution by evaporation, therefore the pathway of superlattice self-assembly critically depends on the amount of solvent present within it. This work addresses the role of the solvent on the structure and the relative stability of the different supercrystalline phases of single-component superlattices (simple cubic, body-centered cubic (BCC), face-centered cubic (FCC), and hexagonal close-packed). The study is performed with a molecular theory for nanoparticle superlattices introduced in this work, which predicts the structure and thermodynamics of the supercrystals explicitly treating the presence and molecular details of the solvent and the ligands. The theory predicts a FCC-BCC transition with decreasing solvent content due to the competition between the translational entropy of the solvent and the entropy and internal energy of the ligands. This result provides an explanation for recent experimental observations by in situ X-ray scattering, which reported a FCC-BCC transition during solvent evaporation. The theory also predicts the effects of the length and surface coverage of the ligands and the radius of the core on the phase behavior in agreement with experimental evidence and previous molecular dynamics simulations. These results validate the use of the dimensionless softness parameter λ (ratio of ligand length to core radius) to predict the phase behavior of wet superlattices. Our results stress the importance of explicitly considering the presence of the solvent in order to reach a complete picture of the mechanisms that mediate the self-assembly of nanoparticle superlattices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leandro L Missoni
- Instituto de Quı́mica Fı́sica de los Materiales, Medio Ambiente y Energı́a and Departamento de Quı́mica Inorgánica Analı́tica y Quı́mica Fı́sica, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Ciudad Universitaria, Pabellón 2, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires C1428EHA, Argentina
| | - Mario Tagliazucchi
- Instituto de Quı́mica Fı́sica de los Materiales, Medio Ambiente y Energı́a and Departamento de Quı́mica Inorgánica Analı́tica y Quı́mica Fı́sica, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Ciudad Universitaria, Pabellón 2, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires C1428EHA, Argentina
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Winslow SW, Swan JW, Tisdale WA. The Importance of Unbound Ligand in Nanocrystal Superlattice Formation. J Am Chem Soc 2020; 142:9675-9685. [DOI: 10.1021/jacs.0c01809] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Samuel W. Winslow
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02142, United States
| | - James W. Swan
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02142, United States
| | - William A. Tisdale
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02142, United States
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Huang X, Wang Z. Supercrystallography-Based Decoding of Structure and Driving Force of Nanocrystal Assembly. MATERIALS 2019; 12:ma12223771. [PMID: 31744175 PMCID: PMC6887775 DOI: 10.3390/ma12223771] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2019] [Revised: 11/04/2019] [Accepted: 11/15/2019] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Nanocrystal (NC) assembly appears as one promising method towards the controllable design and fabrication of advanced materials with desired property and functionality. The achievement of a “materials-by-design” requires not only a primary structural decoding of NC assembled supercrystal at a wide range of length scales, but also an improved understanding of the interactions and changeable roles of various driving forces over the course of nucleation and growth of NC superlattice. The recent invention of a synchrotron-based X-ray supercrystallographic approach makes it feasible to uncover the structural details of NC-assembled supercrystal at unprecedented levels from atomic through nano to mesoscale. Such structural documentations can be used to trace how various driving forces interact in a competitive way and thus change relatively in strength to govern the formation of individual superlattices under certain circumstances. This short review makes use of four single supercrystals typically made up of spherical, truncate, cubic and octahedral NCs, respectively, and provides a comparable description and a reasonable analysis of the use of a synchrotron-based supercrystallographic approach to reveal various degrees of translational and orientational ordering of NCs within various superlattices. In the connection of observed structural aspects with controlled environments of NC assembly, we further address how various driving forces interact each other to develop relatively changeable roles upon variation of the NC shape to respond to the nucleation and growth of various superlattices. With the guidance of such gained insights, we provide additional examples to illustrate how realistic environments are designed into delicate control of NC assembly to achieve particular interactions between NCs towards harvesting superlattice with NC translational symmetry and atomically crystallographic orientation as desired.
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