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Highly ordered nanorod assemblies extending over device scale areas and in controlled multilayers by electrophoretic
Ajay Singh1, Niall J English, Kevin M Ryan
1Materials and Surface Science Institute and Department of Chemical and Environmental Sciences, University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland.
The Journal of Physical Chemistry. B
|October 30, 2012
Summary
Vertically aligned nanorod assemblies are formed using electrophoretic deposition of cadmium sulfide (CdS) and cadmium selenide (CdSe) nanorods. Optimal alignment and close-packing depend on controlling nanorod charge for electronic and photonic device applications.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Nanotechnology
- Physical Chemistry
Background:
- Vertically aligned nanorod assemblies are crucial for advanced electronic and photonic devices.
- Controlling nanorod organization during assembly is essential for device performance.
- Electrophoretic deposition (EPD) offers a scalable method for nanorod assembly.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the formation of vertically aligned nanorod assemblies using CdS and CdSe nanorods via EPD.
- To understand the influence of nanorod charge and ligand environment on assembly structure.
- To compare EPD assembly with spontaneous solution assembly.
Main Methods:
- Electrophoretic deposition (EPD) of CdS and CdSe nanorods.
- Modification of nanorod surface ligands to alter surface charge (zeta potential).
- Analysis of assembly structure and alignment using microscopy and simulations.
Main Results:
- Vertically aligned, close-packed nanorod arrays were successfully formed over multiple layers.
- Nanorod charge significantly impacts deposition speed and orientational order.
- Lower net charge on CdSe nanorods with pyridine ligands promoted perpendicular alignment and close-packing, unlike highly charged rods.
- Simulations supported the experimental findings, predicting lower energy configurations with decreased charge state.
Conclusions:
- EPD enables controlled formation of vertically aligned nanorod multilayers.
- Optimizing nanorod surface charge is key to achieving desired assembly structures.
- This scalable EPD approach is promising for integrating nanorods into large-scale electronic, photonic, and photovoltaic devices.
