Title
Polyethylene-Glycol-Mediated Self-Assembly of Magnetite Nanoparticles at the Liquid/Vapor Interface
Publication Date
3-23-2018
Department
Ames Laboratory; Physics and Astronomy; Materials Science and Engineering
Campus Units
Ames Laboratory, Materials Science and Engineering, Physics and Astronomy
Report Number
IS-J 9629
DOI
10.1002/admi.201701149
Journal Title
Advanced Materials Interfaces
Volume Number
5
Issue Number
6
First Page
1701149
Abstract
It is shown that magnetite nanoparticles (MagNPs) grafted with polyethylene glycol (PEG) self‐assemble and short‐range‐order as 2D films at surfaces of aqueous suspensions by manipulating salt concentrations. Synchrotron X‐ray reflectivity and grazing‐incidence small angle X‐ray scattering studies reveal that K2CO3 induces the migration of the PEG‐MagNPs to the liquid/vapor interface to form a Gibbs layer of monoparticle in thickness. As the salt concentration and/or nanoparticle concentration increase, the surface‐adsorbed nanoparticles become more organized. And further increase in salt concentration leads to the growth of an additional incomplete nanoparticle layer contiguous to the first one at the vapor/liquid interface that remains intact.
Language
en
Department of Energy Subject Categories
75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY; 77 NANOSCIENCE AND NANOTECHNOLOGY