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Published on: March 5, 2019
Chiral gold nanowires with Boerdijk-Coxeter-Bernal structure
Yihan Zhu1, Jiating He, Cheng Shang
1Advanced Membranes and Porous Materials Center, Physical Sciences and Engineering Division and ∥Catalysis Research Center, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology , Thuwal 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia.
Researchers synthesized a chiral Boerdijk-Coxeter-Bernal (BCB) helix using gold atoms in nanowires. This unique structure exhibits one-dimensional pseudo-periodicity, driven by lattice and surface energy interplay.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Nanotechnology
- Crystallography
Background:
- Boerdijk-Coxeter-Bernal (BCB) helices are chiral structures formed by stacked tetrahedra.
- These structures lack typical translational or rotational symmetries, presenting unique geometric properties.
Purpose of the Study:
- To demonstrate the direct chemical synthesis of a chiral BCB helix.
- To investigate the atomic structure and properties of BCB helices in gold nanowires.
Main Methods:
- Direct chemical synthesis of gold nanowires.
- High-resolution electron microscopy for structural analysis.
Main Results:
- Successful creation of a chiral BCB structure using symmetrical gold atoms.
- Observation of elegant chiral geometry and one-dimensional pseudo-periodicity.
- Proposed BCB atomic packing arises from a balance between lattice and surface energies.
Conclusions:
- Chiral BCB helices can be synthesized using gold atoms in nanowires.
- The unique pseudo-periodic structure is a result of competing energy factors.
- This finding expands the understanding of atomic packing in nanomaterials.
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