Size-encoded hierarchical self-assembly of nanoparticles into chains and tubules

Yuting Liang; Di Xiang; Ying Hou; Guangshe Li; Shouhua Feng; Ming Yang

doi:10.1016/j.jcis.2021.07.047

Size-encoded hierarchical self-assembly of nanoparticles into chains and tubules

J Colloid Interface Sci. 2021 Dec 15:604:866-875. doi: 10.1016/j.jcis.2021.07.047. Epub 2021 Jul 16.

Authors

Yuting Liang¹, Di Xiang¹, Ying Hou², Guangshe Li³, Shouhua Feng⁴, Ming Yang⁵

Affiliations

¹ State Key Laboratory of Inorganic Synthesis and Preparative Chemistry, College of Chemistry, Jilin University, Changchun 130012, PR China; Key Laboratory of Microsystems and Micronanostructures Manufacturing, Harbin Institute of Technology 2 Yikuang Street, Harbin 150080, PR China.
² State Key Laboratory of Inorganic Synthesis and Preparative Chemistry, College of Chemistry, Jilin University, Changchun 130012, PR China.
³ State Key Laboratory of Inorganic Synthesis and Preparative Chemistry, College of Chemistry, Jilin University, Changchun 130012, PR China. Electronic address: guangshe@jlu.edu.cn.
⁴ State Key Laboratory of Inorganic Synthesis and Preparative Chemistry, College of Chemistry, Jilin University, Changchun 130012, PR China. Electronic address: shfeng@jlu.edu.cn.
⁵ State Key Laboratory of Inorganic Synthesis and Preparative Chemistry, College of Chemistry, Jilin University, Changchun 130012, PR China. Electronic address: mingyang@jlu.edu.cn.

PMID: 34303886
DOI: 10.1016/j.jcis.2021.07.047

Abstract

Hierarchical structures with sophisticated patterns allow the emergence of challenging properties. However, the highly cooperative and specific interactions needed for assembly spanning different length scales are typically lacking in inorganic nanoparticles (NPs). Here we show that size can be a common structural driving force for controlling hierarchical assembly of inorganic NPs into anisotropic superstructures. It involves first the self-limiting assembly of small CdS NPs into large supraparticles and their subsequent spontaneous organization into chains and tubules hundreds of nanometers long. Our quantitative calculations based on DLVO theory reveals an intrinsic size effect relating to the dimension change of assembly units in accordance with a negative cooperativity. It is shown that the size increase in building blocks creates an effective kinetic barrier contrast at different attachment sites due to the increase of interparticle electrostatic repulsion, switching the assembly from thermodynamically preferred 3D to kinetically favored 1D pathway. The size-encoded hierarchical assembly is accompanied by the ligand-controlled Oswald ripening process, which is responsible for the variation of hierarchical patterns from chains to tubules. The general principle in governing multistage inorganic NP ordering represents an important guideline toward the complex mesoscale structures that may surpass traditional materials in both design and functionality.

Keywords: Hierarchical assembly; Nanoparticles; Self-assembly; Size effect; Supraparticles.

MeSH terms

Anisotropy
Nanoparticles*
Static Electricity