Template-Free Supracolloidal Self-Assembly of Atomically Precise Gold Nanoclusters: From 2D Colloidal Crystals to Spherical Capsids

Nonappa Nonappa, Tanja Lahtinen, Johannes S. Haataja, Tiia Riikka Tero, Hannu Häkkinen, Olli Ikkala

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleScientificpeer-review

96 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

We report supracolloidal self-assembly of atomically precise and strictly monodisperse gold nanoclusters involving p-mercaptobenzoic acid ligands (Au102-pMBA44) under aqueous conditions into hexagonally packed monolayer-thick two-dimensional facetted colloidal crystals (thickness 2.7nm) and their bending to closed shells leading to spherical capsids (d ca. 200nm), as controlled by solvent conditions. The 2D colloidal assembly is driven in template-free manner by the spontaneous patchiness of the pMBA ligands around the Au102-pMBA44 nanoclusters preferably towards equatorial plane, thus promoting inter-nanocluster hydrogen bonds and high packing to planar sheets. More generally, the findings encourage to explore atomically precise nanoclusters towards highly controlled colloidal self-assemblies.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)16035-16038
Number of pages4
JournalAngewandte Chemie
Volume55
Issue number52
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 23 Nov 2016
MoE publication typeA1 Journal article-refereed

Keywords

  • Colloidal crystals
  • Colloidal self-assembly
  • Gold nanoclusters
  • Hydrogen bonds
  • Supramolecular chemistry

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