Large area mosaic films of graphene–titania: self-assembly at the liquid–air interface and photo-responsive behavior

Nanoscale ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 188-191 ◽  
Author(s):  
Timothy N. Lambert ◽  
Carlos A. Chavez ◽  
Nelson S. Bell ◽  
Cody M. Washburn ◽  
David R. Wheeler ◽  
...  
Materials ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (15) ◽  
pp. 4239
Author(s):  
Pezhman Mohammadi ◽  
Fabian Zemke ◽  
Wolfgang Wagermaier ◽  
Markus B. Linder

Macromolecular assembly into complex morphologies and architectural shapes is an area of fundamental research and technological innovation. In this work, we investigate the self-assembly process of recombinantly produced protein inspired by spider silk (spidroin). To elucidate the first steps of the assembly process, we examined highly concentrated and viscous pendant droplets of this protein in air. We show how the protein self-assembles and crystallizes at the water–air interface into a relatively thick and highly elastic skin. Using time-resolved in situ synchrotron X-ray scattering measurements during the drying process, we showed that the skin evolved to contain a high β-sheet amount over time. We also found that β-sheet formation strongly depended on protein concentration and relative humidity. These had a strong influence not only on the amount, but also on the ordering of these structures during the β-sheet formation process. We also showed how the skin around pendant droplets can serve as a reservoir for attaining liquid–liquid phase separation and coacervation from the dilute protein solution. Essentially, this study shows a new assembly route which could be optimized for the synthesis of new materials from a dilute protein solution and determine the properties of the final products.


Giant ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 100078
Author(s):  
Tao Wen ◽  
Bo Ni ◽  
Yuchu Liu ◽  
Wei Zhang ◽  
Zi-Hao Guo ◽  
...  

2003 ◽  
Vol 125 (26) ◽  
pp. 7948-7958 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jessamine M. K. Ng ◽  
Michael J. Fuerstman ◽  
Bartosz A. Grzybowski ◽  
Howard A. Stone ◽  
George M. Whitesides
Keyword(s):  

2008 ◽  
Vol 1087 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marco Palumbo ◽  
Simon J. Henley ◽  
Thierry Lutz ◽  
Vlad Stolojan ◽  
David Cox ◽  
...  

AbstractRecent results in the use of Zinc Oxide (ZnO) nano/submicron crystals in fields as diverse as sensors, UV lasers, solar cells, piezoelectric nanogenerators and light emitting devices have reinvigorated the interest of the scientific community in this material. To fully exploit the wide range of properties offered by ZnO, a good understanding of the crystal growth mechanism and related defects chemistry is necessary. However, a full picture of the interrelation between defects, processing and properties has not yet been completed, especially for the ZnO nanostructures that are now being synthesized. Furthermore, achieving good control in the shape of the crystal is also a very desirable feature based on the strong correlation there is between shape and properties in nanoscale materials. In this paper, the synthesis of ZnO nanostructures via two alternative aqueous solution methods - sonochemical and hydrothermal - will be presented, together with the influence that the addition of citric anions or variations in the concentration of the initial reactants have on the ZnO crystals shape. Foreseen applications might be in the field of sensors, transparent conductors and large area electronics possibly via ink-jet printing techniques or self-assembly methods.


2018 ◽  
Vol 30 (50) ◽  
pp. 1870385 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xining Zang ◽  
Wenshu Chen ◽  
Xiaolong Zou ◽  
J. Nathan Hohman ◽  
Lujie Yang ◽  
...  

2003 ◽  
Vol 775 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeffrey Anderson ◽  
Rubi Garcia ◽  
Weilie L. Zhou

AbstractSubmicron KMnF3 cubic and spherical nanoparticles were synthesized using the reverse micelle method. The nanostructures of the nanocrystals were studied by field emission electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. KMnF3 nanocrystals synthesized at room temperature started with cubic submicron particles (∼100 nm) and consisted of KMnF3 nanocrystallites (10-15 nm). As the reaction continued, the nanocrystals fused together and transformed into perfect cubic nanocrystals. Spherical beads composed of KMnF3 nanocrystallites were observed at low temperature synthesis. As the reaction continued, the spherical particles grew larger, however, no characteristic cubic shape of KMnF3 nanoparticles were observed. Even as they grew larger, there was no evidence of homogeneous crystal morphology as seen in the room temperature samples. Cubic shape KMnF3 nanocrystals were self-assembled into large area self-assembling patterns.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amin Reza Zolghadr ◽  
Behnam Rostami

We describe a systematic investigation of carbon dots (C-dots) assemblies fabricated at the liquid/air interface because of the surface tension gradient. This gradient is originally created by capillary action and increased by addition of sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) surfactant or 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (POPC) phospholipid to the surface of C-dots aqueous mixture. The arrangement of carbon dots in liquid bulk phase (before self-assembly) and at the surface region (after self-assembly) was examined by TEM microscopy. The presence of SDS surfactant and POPC phospholipid at the air/water interface induced the C-dots compression. In addition, molecular dynamics simulation was conducted to obtain the structure of C-dots at liquid/vapor interface. The orientation of C-dots is evaluated quantitatively at water/vapor surface by using bivariate analysis.


2017 ◽  
Vol 15 (5) ◽  
pp. 051401-51405 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mincheng Zhong Mincheng Zhong ◽  
Ziqiang Wang Ziqiang Wang ◽  
and Yinmei Li and Yinmei Li

Coatings ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (12) ◽  
pp. 436 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lionel Wasser ◽  
Sara Dalle Vacche ◽  
Feyza Karasu ◽  
Luca Müller ◽  
Micaela Castellino ◽  
...  

Bio-inspired fluorine-free and self-cleaning polymer coatings were developed using a combination of self-assembly and UV-printing processes. Nasturtium and lotus leaves were selected as natural template surfaces. A UV-curable acrylate oligomer and three acrylated siloxane comonomers with different molecular weights were used. The spontaneous migration of the comonomers towards the polymer–air interface was found to be faster for comonomers with higher molecular weight, and enabled to create hydrophobic surfaces with a water contact angle (WCA) of 105°. The replication fidelity was limited for the nasturtium surface, due to a lack of replication of the sub-micron features. It was accurate for the lotus leaf surface whose hierarchical texture, comprising micropapillae and sub-micron crystalloids, was well reproduced in the acrylate/comonomer material. The WCA of synthetic replica of lotus increased from 144° to 152° with increasing creep time under pressure to 5 min prior to polymerization. In spite of a water sliding angle above 10°, the synthetic lotus surface was self-cleaning with water droplets when contaminated with hydrophobic pepper particles, provided that the droplets had some kinetic energy.


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