Confined space design by nanoparticle self-assembly

Dichiarante, Valentina; Pigliacelli, Claudia; Metrangolo, Pierangelo; Bombelli, Francesca Baldelli

doi:10.1039/d0sc05697a

Cited by 12 publications

(16 citation statements)

References 123 publications

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“…Assembly of spherical NPs creates empty spaces which can work as nanoconfined cavities with a special chemical reactivity. 31 Previous study of the superlattices of Au NPs showed that close packing of 4 nm Au NPs with a large dodecanethiol-ligand volume fraction can create interparticle cavities (∼0.5 nm in diameter). 32 Considering the larger size (>10 nm) and the low ligand-grafting density of the NiP x NPs, the NiP x CCs can be expected to have a certain volume of nanopores.…”

Section: ■ Results and Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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In Situ Control of Crystallinity of 3D Colloidal Crystals by Tuning the Growth Kinetics of Nanoparticle Building Blocks

et al. 2022

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Colloidal crystals (CCs) constructed from inorganic nanoparticle (NP) building blocks exhibit properties that cannot be realized from isolated NPs or corresponding bulk counterparts. Because the arrangement of NPs in CCs is crucial in the CC’s collective properties, development of a procedure to modulate the assembly of NP constituents is important. We demonstrate rapid formation of nickel (phosphide) CCs with tunable crystallinity through van der Waals force-driven spontaneous self-assembly of NPs in a facile one-pot colloidal synthesis. The quantity of size-regulating reagent (tri-n-octylphosphine) modulates the assembly of NPs from ordered close-packed to a disordered configuration in CCs. Synchrotron-based in situ small-angle X-ray scattering revealed that the size uniformity of the NPs determines the crystallinity of CCs, indicating the importance of regulating the growth kinetics of NPs during the synthesis. Our work will be useful for universal scalable preparation of CCs from a variety of materials and structures, with tunable concerted properties.

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Section: ■ Results and Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Assembly of spherical NPs creates empty spaces which can work as nanoconfined cavities with a special chemical reactivity . Previous study of the superlattices of Au NPs showed that close packing of 4 nm Au NPs with a large dodecanethiol-ligand volume fraction can create interparticle cavities (∼0.5 nm in diameter) .…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

In Situ Control of Crystallinity of 3D Colloidal Crystals by Tuning the Growth Kinetics of Nanoparticle Building Blocks

et al. 2022

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“…50 ■ SELF-ASSEMBLY OF PRECISION NOBLE METAL NANOPARTICLES Noble metal NPs with narrow size distribution and, more recently, atomically precise NCs allow self-assembly into one-, two-, and three-dimensional structural and functional assemblies. 56,57 For example, sphalerite or diamond-like 3D-crystals using electrostatic self-assembly of oppositely charged narrowly size-dispersed NPs have been reported (Figure 3a−e). 7 Therein, mercaptoundecanoic acid (MUA) capped AuNPs (AuMUA, d ≈ 5.1 nm) were mixed with 11-mercaptoundecyl-N,N,N-trimethylammonium chloride (TMA) capped silver NPs (AgTMA, d ≈ 4.8 nm).…”

Section: ■ Dna-guided Assemblymentioning

confidence: 99%

From Precision Colloidal Hybrid Materials to Advanced Functional Assemblies

et al. 2022

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Conspectus The concept of colloids encompasses a wide range of isotropic and anisotropic particles with diverse sizes, shapes, and functions from synthetic nanoparticles, nanorods, and nanosheets to functional biological units. They are addressed in materials science for various functions, while they are ubiquitous in the biological world for multiple functions. A large variety of synthetic colloids have been researched due to their scientific and technological importance; still they characteristically suffer from finite size distributions, imperfect shapes and interactions, and not fully engineered functions. This contrasts with biological colloids that offer precision in their size, shape, and functionality. Materials science has searched for inspiration from the biological world to allow structural control by self-assembly and hierarchy and to identify novel routes for combinations of functions in bio-inspiration. Herein, we first discuss different approaches for highly defined structural control of technically relevant synthetic colloids based on guided assemblies of biological motifs. First, we describe how polydisperse nanoparticles can be assembled within hollow protein cages to allow well-defined assemblies and hierarchical packings. Another approach relies on DNA nanotechnology-based assemblies, where engineered DNA structures allow programmed assembly. Then we will discuss synthetic colloids that have either particularly narrow size dispersity or even atomically precise structures for new assemblies and potential functions. Such colloids can have well-defined packings for membranes allowing high modulus. They can be switchable using light-responsive moieties, and they can initiate packing of larger assemblies of different geometrical shapes. The emphasis is on atomically defined nanoclusters that allow well-defined assemblies by supramolecular interactions, such as directional hydrogen bonding. Finally, we will discuss stimulus-responsive colloids for new functions, even toward complex responsive functions inspired by life. Therein, stimulus-responsive materials inspired by biological learning could allow the next generation of such materials. Classical conditioning is among the simplest biological learning concepts, requiring two stimuli and triggerable memory. Therein we use thermoresponsive hydrogels with plasmonic gold nanoparticles and a spiropyran photoacid as a model. Heating is the unconditioned stimulus leading to melting of the thermoresponsive gel, whereas light (at a specified wavelength) originally leads to reduced pH without plasmonic or structural changes because of steric gel stabilization. Under heat-induced gel melting, light results in pH-decrease and chain-like aggregation of the gold nanoparticles, allowing a new plasmonic response. Thus, simultaneous heating and light irradiation allow conditioning for a newly derived stimulus, where the logic diagram is analogous to Pavlovian conditioning. The shown assemblies demonstrate the different functionalitie...

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“…NCs have been also studied as potential nanoscale building blocks to create three-dimensional superstructures through colloidal self-assembly, thanks to their spontaneous organization into highly ordered functional nanostructures. These self-assembled architectures might be exploited for harvesting, and thus enhancing, the collective optical properties of all neighboring NCs, as well as for creating confined nanocavities for drug delivery, directed synthesis, or selective catalysis [33,34].…”

Section: Applicationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Photoluminescent nanocluster-based probes for bioimaging applications

Bergamaschi

Metrangolo

Dichiarante

2022

Photochem Photobiol Sci

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In the continuous search for versatile and better performing probes for optical bioimaging and biosensing applications, many research efforts have focused on the design and optimization of photoluminescent metal nanoclusters. They consist of a metal core composed by a small number of atoms (diameter < 2-3 nm), usually coated by a shell of stabilizing ligands of different nature, and are characterized by molecule-like quantization of electronic states, resulting in discrete and tunable optical transitions in the UV-Vis and NIR spectral regions. Recent advances in their size-selective synthesis and tailored surface functionalization have allowed the effective combination of nanoclusters and biologically relevant molecules into hybrid platforms, that hold a large potential for bioimaging purposes, as well as for the detection and tracking of specific markers of biological processes or diseases. Here, we will present an overview of the latest combined imaging or sensing nanocluster-based systems reported in the literature, classified according to the different families of coating ligands (namely, peptides, proteins, nucleic acids, and biocompatible polymers), highlighting for each of them the possible applications in the biomedical field.

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Confined space design by nanoparticle self-assembly

Abstract: This perspective gives an outlook on the design of interparticle confined nanocavities in self-assembled NP systems and their functional relevance.

Cited by 12 publications

References 123 publications

In Situ Control of Crystallinity of 3D Colloidal Crystals by Tuning the Growth Kinetics of Nanoparticle Building Blocks

In Situ Control of Crystallinity of 3D Colloidal Crystals by Tuning the Growth Kinetics of Nanoparticle Building Blocks

From Precision Colloidal Hybrid Materials to Advanced Functional Assemblies

Photoluminescent nanocluster-based probes for bioimaging applications

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