We present a general process that allows convenient production of multifunctional colloidal particles by direct self-assembly of hydrophobic nanoparticles on host particles containing thiolated silica surfaces.  By starting with host particles containing a high density of surface thiol groups, hydrophobic nanocrystals of various compositions and combinations can be directly assembled onto the host surface. The assemblies will be further overcoated with a layer of normal silica to stabilize the assemblies and render them highly dispersible in water. On the other hand, by forming another layer of mercapto-silica coating on the normal silica surface, nanoparticles of different compositions and properties can be introduced onto the host particle surface in a layer-by-layer (LbL) manner. Such assembly approach will provide the research community a highly versatile, configurable, scalable, and reproducible process to prepare various multifunctional structures.

Direct assembly of hydrophobic nanoparticles to multifunctional structures

243rd National Meeting (2012)

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