Self-Assembly of Gold
Nanoparticles at the Oil–Vapor
Interface: From Mono- to Multilayers
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Abstract
Alkylthiol-coated
gold nanoparticles spontaneously segregate from
dispersion in toluene to the toluene–vapor interface. We show
that surface tension drops during segregation with a rate that depends
on particle concentration. Mono- and multilayers of particles form
depending on particle concentration, time, and temperature. X-ray
reflectometry indicates fast monolayer formation and slow multilayer
formation. A model that combines diffusion-limited segregation driven
by surface energy and heterogeneous agglomeration driven by dispersive
van der Waals particle interactions is proposed to describe film formation