Facile Assembly of Large-Area 2D Microgel Colloidal Crystals Using Charge-Reversible Substrates
Junying Weng1, Xiaoyun Li1, Ying Guan1
1Key Laboratory of Functional Polymer Materials and State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, The Co-Innovation Center of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering of Tianjin, Institute of Polymer Chemistry, College of Chemistry, Nankai University , Tianjin 300071, China.
Langmuir : the ACS Journal of Surfaces and Colloids
|December 10, 2016
Summary
Fabricating large-area 2D colloidal crystals (CCs) is challenging. This study introduces a facile method using charge-reversible substrates to create ordered 2D microgel CCs of any size.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Nanotechnology
- Colloid Science
Background:
- Fabricating large-area, high-quality 2D colloidal crystals (CCs) remains a significant challenge in materials science.
- The synthesis of 2D microgel CCs is particularly difficult, limiting their widespread application.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a facile and scalable method for fabricating large-area, high-quality 2D microgel CCs.
- To demonstrate the utility of charge-reversible substrates for controlled self-assembly of microgel spheres.
Main Methods:
- Preparation of charge-reversible substrates by modifying surfaces with amino groups, followed by amidation with 2,2-dimethylsuccinic anhydride.
- Utilizing the pH-dependent hydrolysis of amide bonds to induce surface charge reversal on the substrate.
- Self-assembly of negatively charged microgel spheres onto the negatively charged substrate, followed by in situ fixation as the substrate charge reverses.
Main Results:
- Demonstrated facile fabrication of highly ordered 2D microgel CCs using charge-reversible substrates.
- Achieved control over the size of 2D CCs, enabling fabrication of any desired area.
- Showcased tunability of interparticle distance by adjusting microgel dispersion concentration and compatibility with various substrates (rigid and flexible).
Conclusions:
- The developed method offers a significant advancement in the scalable production of 2D microgel CCs.
- Charge-reversible substrates provide a versatile platform for creating ordered colloidal arrays.
- This approach opens new possibilities for applications requiring large-area, precisely structured colloidal materials.
