Self-Assembly of Nanoparticles: Strategy, Properties, and Applications

A special issue of Nanomaterials (ISSN 2079-4991). This special issue belongs to the section "Nanofabrication and Nanomanufacturing".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (24 March 2023) | Viewed by 5129

Special Issue Editors

Research Institute for Electronic Science, Hokkaido university, Sapporo 001-0021, Japan
Interests: self-assembly; nanoparticles; polymers; soft matter; plasmonics
Institute of Multidisciplinary Research for Advanced Materials, Tohoku University, Sendai 980-8577, Japan
Interests: nanoparticles; organic-inorganic hybric materials; nanoparticle-based ordered structures; self-organization; liquid crystals; plasmonoic nanoparticles; semiconductor nanopartilces; photonic crystals; photoluminescence

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Nanostructures have attracted attention in broad fields of science and technology, such as electronics, photonics, and plasmonics. To fully bring out their potential, nanoscale definite structure control is crucial. Currently, varied shaped nanoparticles with controlled sizes have been prepared, and they demonstrated unique properties. Additionally, their assemblies and/or combination of other materials can provide enhanced or emergent functions. These facts suggest their further potential for future applications. Then, how can we fabricate these nanoparticle assemblies with definite structures? How can we control their nanostructures in 2-, 3-, and 4-dimensional space? Although many approaches have been developed, further novel strategies are still required for the controlled assembly from not only colloid and surface chemistry but also polymer science and supramolecular chemistry.

This Special Issue welcomes contributions devoted to the strategy (surface design, particle shape, stimuli-responsiveness, self-organization, composite, assembled and gap structures, etc.), properties (novel electric, magnetic, photonic, or plasmonic properties, interparticle interaction, polarity, chirality, etc.), and applications (sensing, catalyst, photonic nanoantenna, metamaterials, etc.) of the self-assembly of nanoparticles.

Prof. Dr. Hideyuki Mitomo
Dr. Masaki Matsubara
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • nanoparticles
  • self-assembly
  • nanoparticle superlattice
  • stimuli-responsiveness
  • self-organization
  • controlled structures
  • photonics
  • plasmonics
  • colloid and surface chemistry

Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

14 pages, 4854 KiB  
Article
Plasmonic Metamaterial Ag Nanostructures on a Mirror for Colorimetric Sensing
by Sayako Maeda, Noboru Osaka, Rei Niguma, Tetsuya Matsuyama, Kenji Wada and Koichi Okamoto
Nanomaterials 2023, 13(10), 1650; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/nano13101650 - 16 May 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1145
Abstract
In this study, we demonstrate the localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) in the visible range by using nanostructures on mirrors. The nanohemisphere-on-mirror (NHoM) structure is based on random nanoparticles that were obtained by heat-treating silver thin films and does not require any top-down [...] Read more.
In this study, we demonstrate the localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) in the visible range by using nanostructures on mirrors. The nanohemisphere-on-mirror (NHoM) structure is based on random nanoparticles that were obtained by heat-treating silver thin films and does not require any top-down nanofabrication processes. We were able to successfully tune over a wide wavelength range and obtain full colors using the NHoM structures, which realized full coverage of the Commission Internationale de l’Eclairage (CIE) standard RGB (sRGB) color space. Additionally, we fabricated the periodic nanodisk-on-glass (NDoG) structure using electron beam lithography and compared it with the NHoM structure. Our analysis of dark-field microscopic images observed by a hyperspectral camera showed that the NHoM structure had less variation in the resonant wavelength by observation points compared with the periodic NDoG structure. In other words, the NHoM structure achieved a high color quality that is comparable to the periodic structure. Finally, we proposed colorimetric sensing as an application of the NHoM structure. We confirmed the significant improvement in performance of colorimetric sensing using the NHoM structure and succeeded in colorimetric sensing using protein drops. The ability to fabricate large areas in full color easily and inexpensively with our proposed structures makes them suitable for industrial applications, such as displays, holograms, biosensing, and security applications. Full article
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19 pages, 6609 KiB  
Article
All-Atom Molecular Dynamics Simulations of the Temperature Response of Poly(glycidyl ether)s with Oligooxyethylene Side Chains Terminated with Alkyl Groups
by Erika Terada, Takuya Isono, Toshifumi Satoh, Takuya Yamamoto, Toyoji Kakuchi and Shinichiro Sato
Nanomaterials 2023, 13(10), 1628; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/nano13101628 - 12 May 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1305
Abstract
Recently, experimental investigations of a class of temperature-responsive polymers tethered to oligooxyethylene side chains terminated with alkyl groups have been conducted. In this study, aqueous solutions of poly(glycidyl ether)s (PGE) with varying numbers of oxyethylene units, poly(methyl(oligooxyethylene)n glycidyl ether) (poly(Me(EO)nGE)), [...] Read more.
Recently, experimental investigations of a class of temperature-responsive polymers tethered to oligooxyethylene side chains terminated with alkyl groups have been conducted. In this study, aqueous solutions of poly(glycidyl ether)s (PGE) with varying numbers of oxyethylene units, poly(methyl(oligooxyethylene)n glycidyl ether) (poly(Me(EO)nGE)), and poly(ethyl(oligooxyethylene)n glycidyl ether) (poly(Et(EO)nGE) (n = 0, 1, and 2) were investigated by all-atom molecular dynamics simulations, focusing on the thermal responses of their chain extensions, the recombination of intrapolymer and polymer–water hydrogen bonds, and water-solvation shells around the alkyl groups. No clear relationship was established between the phase-transition temperature and the polymer-chain extensions unlike the case for the coil–globule transition of poly(N-isopropylacrylamide). However, the temperature response of the first water-solvation shell around the alkyl group exhibited a notable correlation with the phase-transition temperature. In addition, the temperature at which the hydrophobic hydration shell strength around the terminal alkyl group equals the bulk water density (TCRP) was slightly lower than the cloud point temperature (TCLP) for the methyl-terminated poly(Me(EO)nGE) and slightly higher for the ethyl-terminated poly(Et(EO)nGE). It was concluded that the polymer-chain fluctuation affects the relationship between TCRP and TCLP. Full article
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12 pages, 2304 KiB  
Article
A Flexible and Robust Structural Color Film Obtained by Assembly of Surface-Modified Melanin Particles
by Daiki Yoshioka, Keiki Kishikawa and Michinari Kohri
Nanomaterials 2022, 12(19), 3338; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/nano12193338 - 25 Sep 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1573
Abstract
In this study, core–shell-hairy-type melanin particles surface modified with a polydopamine shell layer and a polymer brush hairy layer were fabricated and assembled to readily obtain bright structural color films. The hot pressing of freeze-dried samples of melanin particles decorated with a hydrophilic, [...] Read more.
In this study, core–shell-hairy-type melanin particles surface modified with a polydopamine shell layer and a polymer brush hairy layer were fabricated and assembled to readily obtain bright structural color films. The hot pressing of freeze-dried samples of melanin particles decorated with a hydrophilic, low glass transition temperature polymer brush results in films that exhibit an angle-dependent structural color due to a highly periodic microstructure, with increased regularity in the arrangement of the particle array due to the fluidity of the particles. Flexible, self-supporting, and easy-to-cut and process structural color films are obtained, and their flexibility and robustness are demonstrated using compression tests. This method of obtaining highly visible structural color films using melanin particles as a single component will have a significant impact on practical materials and applications. Full article
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15 pages, 2903 KiB  
Article
Hysteresis in the Thermo-Responsive Assembly of Hexa(ethylene glycol) Derivative-Modified Gold Nanodiscs as an Effect of Shape
by Joshua Chidiebere Mba, Hideyuki Mitomo, Yusuke Yonamine, Guoqing Wang, Yasutaka Matsuo and Kuniharu Ijiro
Nanomaterials 2022, 12(9), 1421; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/nano12091421 - 21 Apr 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2121
Abstract
Anisotropic gold nanodiscs (AuNDs) possess unique properties, such as large flat surfaces and dipolar plasmon modes, which are ideal constituents for the fabrication of plasmonic assemblies for novel and emergent functions. In this report, we present the thermo-responsive assembly and thermo-dynamic behavior of [...] Read more.
Anisotropic gold nanodiscs (AuNDs) possess unique properties, such as large flat surfaces and dipolar plasmon modes, which are ideal constituents for the fabrication of plasmonic assemblies for novel and emergent functions. In this report, we present the thermo-responsive assembly and thermo-dynamic behavior of AuNDs functionalized with methyl-hexa(ethylene glycol) undecane-thiol as a thermo-responsive ligand. Upon heating, the temperature stimulus caused a blue shift of the plasmon peak to form a face-to-face assembly of AuNDs due to the strong hydrophobic and van der Waals interactions between their large flat surfaces. Importantly, AuNDs allowed for the incorporation of the carboxylic acid-terminated ligand while maintaining their thermo-responsive assembly ability. With regard to their reversible assembly/disassembly behavior in the thermal cycling process, significant rate-independent hysteresis, which is related to their thermo-dynamics, was observed and was shown to be dependent on the carboxylic acid content of the surface ligands. As AuNDs have not only unique plasmonic properties but also high potential for attachment due to the fact of their flat surfaces, this study paves the way for the exploitation of AuNDs in the development of novel functional materials with a wide range of applications. Full article
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