title: Entropy-mediated patterning of surfactant-coated nanoparticles and surfaces.
abstract: We perform atomistic and mesoscale simulations to explain the origin of experimentally observed stripelike patterns formed by immiscible ligands coadsorbed on the surfaces of gold and silver nanoparticles. We show that when the conformational entropy gained via this morphology is sufficient, microphase-separated stripelike patterns form. When the entropic gain is not sufficient, we instead predict bulk phase-separated Janus particles. We also show corroborating experimental results that confirm our simulational predictions that stripes form on flat surfaces as well as on curved nanoparticle surfaces.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, USA.
authors.forename: Chetana
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Singh
authors.forename: Pradip K
authors.initials: PK
authors.lastname: Ghorai
authors.forename: Mark A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Horsch
authors.forename: Alicia M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Jackson
authors.forename: Ronald G
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Larson
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Stellacci
authors.forename: Sharon C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Glotzer