Journal
NANO LETTERS
Volume 13, Issue 11, Pages 5710-5714Publisher
AMER CHEMICAL SOC
DOI: 10.1021/nl403458q
Keywords
Nanocrystals; superlattices; phase transitions; colloids; self-assembly
Categories
Funding
- Robert A. Welch Foundation [F-1464]
- National Science Foundation [DMR-0807065]
- NSF
- NIH/NIGMS via NSF [DMR-0936384]
- NSF IGERT [DGE-0549417]
- NSERC of Canada
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Small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) data reveal that superlattices of organic ligand-stabilized gold (Au) nanocrystals can undergo a series of ordered structure transitions at elevated temperature. An example is presented of a body-centered cubic superlattice that evolves into a hexagonal close-packed structure, followed by the formation of binary simple cubic AB(13) and hexagonal AB(5) superlattices. Ultimately the superlattice decomposes at high temperature to bicontinuous domains of coalesced Au and intervening hydrocarbon. Transmission electron microscopy revealed that the ordered structure transformations result from partial ligand desorption and controlled Au nanocrystal growth during heating, which forces changes in superlattice symmetry. These observations suggest some similarity between organic ligand-coated nanocrystals and microphase-segregated diblock copolymers, where thermally induced nanophase-segregation of Au and organic ligand influences the ordered arrangements in the superlattice.
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