title: Template-Free Supracolloidal Self-Assembly of Atomically Precise Gold Nanoclusters: From 2D Colloidal Crystals to Spherical Capsids.
abstract: We report supracolloidal self-assembly of atomically precise and strictly monodisperse gold nanoclusters involving p-mercaptobenzoic acid ligands (Au102-pMBA44) under aqueous conditions into hexagonally packed monolayer-thick two-dimensional facetted colloidal crystals (thickness 2.7 nm) and their bending to closed shells leading to spherical capsids (d ca. 200 nm), as controlled by solvent conditions. The 2D colloidal assembly is driven in template-free manner by the spontaneous patchiness of the pMBA ligands around the Au102-pMBA44nanoclusters preferably towards equatorial plane, thus promoting inter-nanocluster hydrogen bonds and high packing to planar sheets. More generally, the findings encourage to explore atomically precise nanoclusters towards highly controlled colloidal self-assemblies.
authors.affiliation: Department of Applied Physics, Molecular Materials Group, Aalto University School of Science, Puumiehenkuja 2, Espoo, 02150, Finland.
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-6804-4128
authors.lastname: Nonappa
authors.affiliation: Departments of Chemistry and Physics, Nanoscience centre, University of Jyväskylä, Survontie 9, 40014, Jyväskylä, Finland.
authors.forename: Tanja
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Lahtinen
authors.affiliation: Department of Applied Physics, Molecular Materials Group, Aalto University School of Science, Puumiehenkuja 2, Espoo, 02150, Finland.
authors.forename: Johannes S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Haataja
authors.affiliation: Departments of Chemistry and Physics, Nanoscience centre, University of Jyväskylä, Survontie 9, 40014, Jyväskylä, Finland.
authors.forename: Tiia-Riikka
authors.initials: TR
authors.lastname: Tero
authors.affiliation: Departments of Chemistry and Physics, Nanoscience centre, University of Jyväskylä, Survontie 9, 40014, Jyväskylä, Finland.
authors.forename: Hannu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Häkkinen
authors.affiliation: Department of Applied Physics, Molecular Materials Group, Aalto University School of Science, Puumiehenkuja 2, Espoo, 02150, Finland.
authors.forename: Olli
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Ikkala
keywords: colloidal crystals; colloidal self-assembly; gold nanoclusters; hydrogen bonds; supramolecular chemistry