Au nanorice assemble electrolytically into mesostars.
Star-shaped mesotructures are formed when an aqueous suspension of Au nanorice particles, which consist of prolate hematite cores and a thin Au shell, is subjected to an electric current. The nanorice particles assemble to form hyperbranched micrometer-scale mesostars. To our knowledge, this is the first reported observation of nanoparticle assembly into larger ordered structures under the influence of an electrochemical process (H(2)O electrolysis). The assembly is accompanied by significant modifications in the morphology, dimensions, chemical composition, crystallographic structure, and optical properties of the constituent nanoparticles.
Bardhan
Rizia
R
Department of Chemistry, Rice University, Houston, Texas 77005, USA.
Neumann
Oara
O
Mirin
Nikolay
N
Wang
Hui
H
Halas
Naomi J
NJ