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Mesoscopic Architectures Made of Electrically Charged Binary Colloidal Nanosheets in Aqueous System
Teruyuki Nakato, Atsushi Takahashi1, Shinya Terada
1Graduate School of Bio-Applications and Systems Engineering , Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology , 2-24-16 Naka-cho , Koganei, Tokyo 184-8588 , Japan.
Langmuir : the ACS Journal of Surfaces and Colloids
|October 23, 2019
Summary
Niobate-clay binary nanosheet colloids show mesoscopic phase separation, with niobate nanosheets forming domains and clay nanosheets filling voids. This structure, visualized in real space, is key for photochemical applications.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Colloid Science
- Nanotechnology
Background:
- Inorganic layered materials can form colloidal liquid crystals via exfoliation into nanosheets.
- Binary nanosheet colloids exhibit multiphase coexistence and mesoscopic phase separation.
- Niobate-clay binary colloids show phase separation at the mesoscopic scale, crucial for photochemical functions but not previously visualized.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate and demonstrate the real-space mesoscopic structure of niobate-clay binary nanosheet colloids.
- To compare the influence of different clay nanosheet lateral sizes on the colloid's structure.
- To elucidate the spatial arrangement and phase separation of niobate and clay nanosheets.
Main Methods:
- Small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) to analyze lamellar ordering and basal spacing.
- Confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) with fluorescence and scattering for real-space visualization.
- Comparison of four different clay nanosheets (hectorite, saponite, fluorohectorite, tetrasilisic mica) with varying lateral sizes.
Main Results:
- SAXS confirmed lamellar ordering of niobate nanosheets, with basal spacing decreasing as clay concentration increased, indicating compression.
- CLSM visualized distinct mesoscopic phase separation: niobate nanosheets formed domains (tens of micrometers), with clay nanosheets occupying interstitial voids.
- Clay nanosheet distribution depended on lateral size, with larger clays showing more localized assembly, correlating with larger niobate basal spacings.
Conclusions:
- The study provides clear, real-space evidence of mesoscopic phase separation in niobate-clay binary nanosheet colloids.
- The spatial arrangement and compression of the niobate phase are influenced by clay nanosheet properties and concentration.
- Understanding this mesoscopic structure is vital for harnessing the photochemical potential of these binary colloids.
