Nanomaterials | |
The ultimate test for nanoscience will be to deliver practically useful materials and devices. Recognizing this challenge, our group uses self-assembly to synthesize new nanostructured materials with real-world applications.
In one of our key projects, we focus on the assembly schemes that allow building macroscopic structures from nanoscopic building blocks. Since bridging more than six orders of magnitude that separate nano from macro is not an easy task, we have developed a hierarchical approach, in which metal nanoobjects are first assembled into intermediate aggregates ("supraspheres") that contain more than 90% w/w metal but but behave like sticky pieces of wax or Play-doh. These sticky supraspheres can then glue with one another upon light irradiation and can form macroscopic materials. Remarkably, these materials look like metals and conduct electricity but they behave like moldable plastics. They can contain one or more elements (e.g., Au/Ag, Au/Pt, Pt/Pd nanoalloys) and can be hardened at room temperature. No kidding. For more details, please see our recent paper in Science (Science, 316, 261, 2007).
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