Nanoparticle Self-Assembly at Liquid Interfaces: unravelling the basics and fabricating novel functional materials
Event details
| Date | 13.01.2012 |
| Hour | 14:30 |
| Speaker | Dr. Lucio Isa, ETH Zurich, Laboratory for Surface Science and Technology |
| Location |
MXG 035
|
| Category | Conferences - Seminars |
Self-assembly of colloidal particles at liquid-liquid interfaces (SALI) is a process with huge potential for the fabrication of controlled "two-dimensional" structures and patterns. This is due to three key factors: a) the particles are trapped at the interface, but b) retain lateral mobility and c) exhibit specific interactions which can be tailored to fabricate complex assemblies. A crucial step to control SALI is to characterize the wetting properties of individual nanoparticles. I will therefore initially present a novel technique, based on freeze-fracture, shadow-casting (FreSCa) cryo-SEM that I have developed to measure the contact angle of individual nanoparticles as small as 10nm [1]. I will later focus on two specific examples of material fabrication pathways. I will first discuss the adsorption of core-shell iron oxide – poly(ethylene glycol) nanoparticles at water/oil interfaces as a route to fabricate composite, smart membranes [2]. Then I will demonstrate the use of SALI for the deposition of non-close packed crystalline arrays of nanoparticles for lithography masks [3]. The deposited patterns are then used as a mask for the fabrication of substrates for biosensing and quantum electronics. I will conclude presenting future directions and developments.
Practical information
- General public
- Free
Contact
- Francesco Stellacci and Mauro Moglianetti