title: Mechanistic Insight into the Synthesis of Silica-Based "Matchstick" Colloids.
abstract: We report an insight into the synthesis of silica-based "matchstick"-shaped colloidal particles, which are of interest in the area of self-propulsion on small length scales. The generation of aqueous emulsion droplets dispersed in an n-pentanol-rich continuous phase and their use as reaction centers allows for the fabrication of siliceous microparticles that exhibit anisotropy in both particle morphology, that is, a "matchstick" shape, and chemistry, that is, a transition-metal oxide-enriched head. We provide a series of kinetic studies to gain a mechanistic understanding and unravel the particle formation and growth processes. Additionally, we demonstrate the ability to select the aspect ratio of the "matchstick" particle in a straightforward manner.
authors.affiliation: The Department of Chemistry, and ‡The Department of Physics, The University of Warwick , Gibbet Hill Road, Coventry CV4 7AL, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Brooke W
authors.initials: BW
authors.lastname: Longbottom
authors.affiliation: The Department of Chemistry, and ‡The Department of Physics, The University of Warwick , Gibbet Hill Road, Coventry CV4 7AL, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Luke A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Rochford
authors.affiliation: The Department of Chemistry, and ‡The Department of Physics, The University of Warwick , Gibbet Hill Road, Coventry CV4 7AL, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Beanland
authors.affiliation: The Department of Chemistry, and ‡The Department of Physics, The University of Warwick , Gibbet Hill Road, Coventry CV4 7AL, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Stefan A F
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Bon