Interfacial self-assembly of nanoparticles into macroscopic, monolayered films
Qianhui Cheng, Hetong Fang, Rui Cao, Zhuoyuan Ma, Shun Wang, Renguo Xie, Haibing Xia, Dayang Wang
Abstract
This article offers an overview of recent advances in directing self-assembly of nanoparticles (NPs) at the interfaces between two immiscible fluids, which is aimed at emphasizing that the fluidic interfaces can endow NPs with sufficient mobility to minimize far-from-equilibrium effects and thus direct the self-assembly of NPs into monolayered films with single crystalline domains potentially being macroscopically large. It commences with a brief review of the interfacial adsorption behavior of NPs, which plays the central role in interfacial self-assembly of NPs, and the interaction balance between the NPs adsorbing at fluidic interfaces. The following section is an overview of the state-of-the-art of directed self-assembly of nanoparticles at the interfaces between vapor and liquid and between two immiscible liquids. Subsequently, it will focus on several key variables governing the NP self-assembly at the interfaces and elaboration of their impacts on the structural features of the resulting NP monolayered films. Finally, the technical benefits of interfacial NP self-assembly are outlined, followed by an outlook of the upcoming technical challenges and emerging perspectives in the field.