Molecules aid nanoparticle assembly

Researchers in the US claim to have found a simple and robust way to induce nanoparticles to assemble themselves into complex arrays.

The team, from the US Department of Energy’s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, found that by adding specific types of small molecules to mixtures of nanoparticles and polymers, they could direct the self-assembly of the nanoparticles into arrays of one, two and three dimensions with no additional chemical modification.

The team also found that with the application of external stimuli, such as light or heat, they could further direct the assemblies of nanoparticles for even finer and more complex structural details.

It is hoped the discovery will open routes for fabricating nanoparticle-based devices, including highly efficient systems for the generation and storage of solar energy.

Nano-sized particles display highly coveted properties not found in macroscopic materials such as optical, electronic or magnetic.

Scientists hope that exploiting the unique properties of nanoparticles on a commercial scale could lead to sustainable, clean and cheap energy, and the creation on demand of new materials with properties tailored to meet specific needs.