Large-domain colloidal crystal films fabricated using a fluidic cell

Fabrication of Ordered 2D Colloidal Crystals on Flat and Patterned Substrates by Spin Coating

Spin coating is a simple and rapid method for fabricating ordered monolayer colloidal crystals on flat as well as patterned substrates. In this article, we show how a combination of factors, particularly concentration of the dispensed colloidal solution (C n) and spin-coating speed, influences the ordering process. We have performed systematic experiments on different types of substrates with two types of colloidal particles (polystyrene and silica). We also show that even when perfect ordering is achieved at some locations, there might be a significant spatial variation in the deposit morphology over different areas of the sample. Our experiments reveal that higher C n is required for obtaining perfect arrays, as the diameter of the colloids (d D) increases. Interestingly, a combination of higher C n and rotational speed (expressed as revolutions per minute) is required to achieve perfect ordering on a topographically patterned substrate, as compared to that on a flat surface, because of loss of inertia of the particles during outward flow because of impact on the substrate features. Finally, we also identify the relation between the particle diameter and the height of the pattern features to achieve topography-mediated particle ordering.

Dynamic imaging of Au-nanoparticles via scanning electron microscopy in a graphene wet cell

High resolution nanoscale imaging in liquid environments is crucial for studying molecular interactions in biological and chemical systems. In particular, electron microscopy is the gold-standard tool for nanoscale imaging, but its high-vacuum requirements make application to in-liquid samples extremely challenging. Here we present a new graphene based wet cell device where high resolution scanning electron microscope (SEM) and energy dispersive x-rays (EDX) analysis can be performed directly inside a liquid environment. Graphene is an ideal membrane material as its high transparancy, conductivity and mechanical strength can support the high vacuum and grounding requirements of a SEM while enabling maximal resolution and signal. In particular, we obtain high resolution ([Formula: see text] nm) SEM video images of nanoparticles undergoing Brownian motion inside the graphene wet cell and EDX analysis of nanoparticle composition in the liquid enviornment. Our obtained resolution surpasses current conventional silicon nitride devices imaged in both a SEM and transmission electron microscope under much higher electron doses.

RETRACTED: Size-controlled spherical polymer nanoparticles: synthesis with tandem acoustic emulsification followed by soap-free emulsion polymerization and one-step fabrication of colloidal crystal films of various colors

This article has been retracted: please see Elsevier Policy on Article Withdrawal (http://www.elsevier.com/locate/withdrawalpolicy). This article was retracted at the request of the Editor. The above paper is essentially a duplicate of an original Article in “Size-Controlled Synthesis of Polymer Nanoparticles with Tandem Acoustic Emulsification Followed by Soap-Free Emulsion Polymerization” ACS Macro Lett., 2013, 2 (6), pp 482–484, 10.1021/mz4001817.

Artificial black opal fabricated from nanoporous carbon spheres

A nanocasting method via chemical vapor deposition of acetonitrile was successfully employed to fabricate porous carbon colloidal crystal using colloidal crystal from monodispersed mesoporous silica spheres (MMSS) as a sacrificial scaffold. The mesostructure as well as periodic arrays within (111) plane of MMSS were replicated for the carbon colloidal crystal (black opal) with the length scale in the centimeter range. Brilliant iridescent colors were clearly observed for the first time on the black carbon colloidal crystal fabricated from porous carbon spheres, and they changed dramatically in accordance with the observation angle, like natural black opals. Reflection spectra measurements based on 2D surface diffraction and Bragg diffraction in the mirror mode were conducted for the fabricated carbon periodic arrays. The periodicity in the (111) plane as well as in the direction perpendicular to the (111) plane of the colloidal crystal was evaluated by comparing the results obtained from these two measurements. It was found that the periodicity in the direction perpendicular to the (111) surface is not high for the obtained black carbon opal. On the other hand, the relationship between the incident angles and the peak wavelengths of the reflection spectra, collected in the condition where the incident light and the reflected light pass through in the same direction, is governed by an approximation based on 2D surface diffraction. The results imply that the origin of the iridescent colors on the fabricated black carbon opal is derived from the periodicity not in the direction perpendicular to the (111) plane but within the (111) plane.

Magnetic and Optical Properties of Submicron-Size Hollow Spheres

Magnetic hollow spheres with a controlled diameter and shell thickness have emerged as an important class of magnetic nanomaterials. The confined hollow geometry and pronouncedly curved surfaces induce unique physical properties different from those of flat thin films and solid counterparts. In this paper, we focus on recent progress on submicron-size spherical hollow magnets (e.g., cobalt- and iron-based materials), and discuss the effects of the hollow shape and the submicron size on magnetic and optical properties.

Manipulation of the spontaneous emission in mesoporous synthetic opals impregnated with fluorescent guests

The spontaneous emission of light from light-emitting materials adsorbed within the ordered pores of monodispersed mesoporous silica spheres (MMSS) has been investigated. By taking advantage of the ordered starburst pores of MMSS, we can provide a simple strategy for fabricating synthetic opals consisting of homogeneous individual building blocks in which fluorescent guests are uniformly and stably impregnated. In this study, tris(8-hydroxyquinolinato)aluminum(III) (Alq(3)) and Rhodamine B (Rh B) are selected as the fluorescent guests. The former has a wider emission band than the reflection spectrum of MMSS synthetic opals, whereas the emission band of the latter is considerably narrower than the reflection spectrum of the opals. The spontaneous emissions of these functionalized synthetic opals are clearly influenced by the stop band governed by the Bragg equation. In the case of the Alq(3)-MMSS conjugate, the shape of the Alq(3) emission spectrum varies in accordance with the shift in the stop band. The emission of the Rh B-MMSS conjugate is noticeably narrowed, and its intensity is enhanced when the excitation intensity is increased. These results are well explained by an inhibition of spontaneous emission caused by a reduction in the density of optical states within the stop band. The results of this study indicate that MMSS synthetic opals are promising for use in novel optical applications in which the spontaneous emission can be manipulated.

Optical response of mesoporous synthetic opals to the adsorption of chemical species

We have demonstrated the fabrication of a colloidal crystalline array (synthetic opal) from monodispersed mesoporous silica spheres (MMSS) and the control of its optical response simply by changing the amount of benzene vapor adsorbed into the pores of MMSS. It was revealed that the refractive index of the colloidal crystal of MMSS showed an 11.7% increase by taking advantage of benzene adsorption, and thereby, the structural color changed reversibly. We also conducted the same measurement on silica spheres without mesopores and observed no change in the refractive index or the structural color. This optical response gives rise to the possibility of using MMSS colloidal crystals not only for controlling light reflection but also as sensing devices based on color change due to vapor adsorption. We have also incorporated an organic dye, the porphyrin derivative alpha,beta,chi,delta,-tetrakis(1-methylpyridinium-4-yl)porphyrin rho-toluenesulfonate (TMPyP), into the pores of MMSS. By adopting an electrophoretic deposition process in ethanol, periodic arrays fabricated from TMPyP-MMSS conjugates with absolute zeta-potentials near zero were obtained. The Bragg diffraction peak of the colloidal crystalline array shifted to longer wavelengths due to an increase in the refractive index with increasing amounts of TMPyP adsorbed in the pores. The current work demonstrates the new possibility of creating colloidal crystals from MMSS with mesopores filled with various kinds of adsorbates to control the optical response effectively.

From particle self-assembly to functionalized sub-micron protein patterns

Biologically relevant nanopatterns are useful platforms to address fundamental questions, for example, regarding protein-protein and cell-protein interactions. For the creation of nanopatterns, complex and expensive instrumentation is often needed. We present a simple but versatile patterning method using a combination of particle and subsequent molecular self-assembly to produce ordered structures in the micron and sub-micron range. Polystyrene particles were, in a first step, assembled via dip-coating or dried in a drying cell. Silicon wafers and glass slides coated with SiO(2) and a top layer of 11 nm of TiO(2) were used as substrates. Large hexagonally ordered particle monolayers were formed with high reproducibility. These were subsequently shrunk in a controlled manner by exposure to a O(2)/N(2) plasma and subsequently used as etching masks to transfer the particle pattern onto the substrate, creating TiO(2) features in an SiO(2) background. After removing the mask the oxide contrast was translated in three simple dip-and-rinse steps into a biochemical contrast of protein-coated features in an inert background. In short, alkane phosphates were first selectively adsorbed to the TiO(2) features. Then the SiO(2) background was backfilled using poly(L-lysine)-graft-poly(ethylene glycol) and finally streptavidin was adsorbed to the hydrophobic alkane phosphate SAMs, allowing subsequent binding and hybridization of biotinylated DNA.

In situ observations of the self-assembling process of colloidal crystalline arrays

Growth processes of colloidal crystalline arrays in a fluidic glass cell were observed by confocal laser scanning microscopy. The results showed that the growth direction varied with the growth rate. At an extremely low growth rate, the array grew toward the 112 direction of the face-centered-cubic lattice. At a moderate growth rate, it grew toward the 110 direction. However, an extremely high growth rate induced random arrays of the spheres. Moreover, we were able to visualize the generation and/or annihilation processes of several kinds of defects. The variation of the growth direction with the growth rate is discussed in terms of the difference in water-flow resistance in the crystalline arrays.

Photonic band structures of colloidal crystals measured with angle-resolved reflection spectroscopy

We acquired angle- and polarization-resolved reflection spectra from a colloidal crystal made of polystyrene spheres along the two perpendicular directions corresponding to the LU and LW directions in the first Brillouin zone of an fcc lattice. Dispersion relations between the reflection peak positions and the wave vectors of the incident light were obtained from the measured spectra and compared with calculated photonic band structures. For the first stop band region in the spectra, the behavior of the reflection peak due to Bragg diffraction agreed with the calculated band structure and revealed some differences induced by the polarization and crystalline orientations. The spectral features observed in the higher energy regions also revealed these differences. In addition, dispersion relationships between the peak positions and the wave vectors were obtained from the results of fitting each spectrum with several Gaussian curves, compared with the calculated photonic band structures. The relationships obtained for the LU direction almost matched the calculated band structure, while the relationships obtained for the LW direction revealed the features of the mixed band structure calculated for the two perpendicular directions. These results indicate that angle- and polarization-resolved reflection spectroscopy has the potential to experimentally analyze the photonic band structures of actual photonic crystals.

Self-assembled colloidal arrays as three-dimensional nanofluidic sieves for separation of biomolecules on microchips

We report on a biomolecular sieving system based on the use of ordered colloidal arrays to define the sieve structure within a microfluidic device. A facile microfluidic colloidal self-assembly strategy has been developed to create ordered, robust, three-dimensional nanofluidic sieves within microfluidic devices, with which fast separation of DNA and proteins of a wide size range was achieved. Compared to conventional colloidal deposition procedures, such as vertical deposition, this approach features much faster assembling speed, the absence of drying-caused cracks that may jeopardize the separation performance, and better flexibility to couple with current microfabrication techniques. The flexibility of pore size enabled by this methodology provides separation of biomolecules with a wide size distribution, ranging from proteins (20-200 kDa) to dsDNA (0.05-50 kbp). Under moderate electric fields, complete separation can be finished in minutes, with separation efficiency comparable to gel/polymer-filled or micro-/nanofabricated microsystems. To our knowledge, this is the first demonstration of size separation of biomolecules within self-assembled ordered colloidal lattices embedded within a microfluidic system.

Biomimetic creation of hierarchical surface structures by combining colloidal self-assembly and Au sputter deposition

Surfaces of hexagonally packed silica spheres have been functionalized with silanes containing different hydrocarbon or fluorocarbon chains. The resulting chemical and physical structures were studied to establish the effect of surface hydrophobicity on the measured contact angles on the rough surfaces. The results were used to assess the effects of surface modifications on the parameters in the Cassie equation. To achieve superhydrophobicity via a biomimetic approach, we created two-scale structures by first forming hexagonally packed SiO2 spheres, followed by Au deposition on the spheres and heat treatment to form Au nanoparticles on sphere surfaces. Contact angles over 160 degrees were achieved. This work provides improved understanding of the effect of the surface roughness and solid surface fraction on superhydrophobicity.

Reversible control of light reflection of a colloidal crystal film fabricated from monodisperse mesoporous silica spheres

In this letter, we report a novel method for controlling the light reflection of a colloidal crystal. Highly monodisperse mesoporous silica spheres have been successfully organized into a hexagonally close-packed colloidal crystal film. Just by introducing water vapor into the fabricated colloidal film, the structural color and reflection spectra were changed dramatically because of water vapor adsorption occurring in the mesoporous channels. This phenomenon can be observed reversibly over five cycles. We are convinced that this is the first report on controlling the light reflection of a colloidal crystal film dynamically by taking advantage of adsorption properties inherent to mesoporous silica spheres.

Close-packed colloidal crystalline arrays composed of silica spheres coated with titania

Titania coated monodisperse silica spheres have been synthesized and fabricated as a close-packed colloidal crystalline array. We have demonstrated that the coated colloidal sphere can be used to control the peak position of the optical stop band through variation of the coating thickness. The titania coated silica spheres were prepared by the layer-by-layer assembly coating process, which reciprocally laminates the cationic polyelectrolyte and the anionic titania nanosheets on a monodisperse silica spheres, and were sintered to change the titania nanosheets to anatase. The Bragg diffraction peak of the colloidal crystalline array shifted to the long wavelength region with an increase of thickness of the titania layer. Angle-resolved reflection spectra measurements clarified that the red shift was caused by increasing of the refractive index with increase of the thickness of the layer. The current work suggests new possibilities for the creation of advanced colloidal crystalline arrays with tunable optical properties from tailored colloidal spheres.

Close-packed colloidal crystalline arrays composed of polystyrene latex coated with titania nanosheets

We have demonstrated that polystyrene latex coated with titania nanosheets can be fabricated into a close-packed colloidal crystalline array, and that these coated colloidal spheres can be used to control the peak position of optical stop bands through the coating. The titania-nanosheets-coated polystyrene latex was prepared by the layer-by-layer (LBL) assembly coating process, involving alternating lamination of cationic polyelectrolytes and anionic titania nanosheets on monodisperse polystyrene latex particles. The Bragg diffraction peak of the colloidal crystalline array shifted to longer wavelengths with the coating of titania nanosheets. This red shift was caused by an increase in refractive index upon coating, as revealed by angle-resolved reflection spectra measurements. The current work suggests new possibilities for the creation of advanced colloidal crystals having tunable optical properties from tailored colloidal spheres.