Tunable 3D and 2D polystyrene nanoparticle assemblies using surface wettability, low volume fraction and surfactant effects.
Polymer-based nanopatterning on metal surfaces is of increasing importance to a number of applications, including biosensors, bioelectronic devices and medical implants. Here we show that polycrystalline gold surfaces can be functionalized with monocomponent nanoparticle (NP) assemblies by a simple drop deposition method. Ordered 3D hexagonal close-packed structures consisting of 350 nm polystyrene (PS) NPs on hydrophobically modified gold surfaces from solutions of very low volume fraction (varphi = 0.0006) were obtained as a result of capillary force induced self-assembly, whilst 2D self-assembly of PS NPs was generated over large area on hydrophilic gold and TiO(2) surfaces by spin coating. Furthermore, we show that when Triton X-100 is added to the PS NP suspending medium longer range ordering is obtained. Our observations may initiate interesting applications in the areas of nanoengineering of metal-based sensors and as a means to design new nanostructures for biocompatible implant surfaces.
Pillai
S
S
Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Center, University of Aarhus, Aarhus C, Denmark.
Hemmersam
A G
AG
Mukhopadhyay
R
R
Meyer
R L
RL
Moghimi
S M
SM
Besenbacher
F
F
Kingshott
P
P
D001672:Biocompatible Materials / Q000737:chemistry*; D020099:Coated Materials, Biocompatible / Q000737:chemistry*; D053758:Nanoparticles; D011137:Polystyrenes; D013501:Surface-Active Agents; D017155:Wettability
D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D020099:Coated Materials, Biocompatible; D011137:Polystyrenes; D013501:Surface-Active Agents