Attractive nanoparticles that form stable, finite-sized clusters have recently generated significant attention.  From a fundamental point of view, existence of such clusters raises a number of questions. What characteristics must the interparticle potential have to give rise to such clusters?  What determines the cluster size and morphology?  Are clusters static entities that freely diffuse in solution, or are they dynamic assemblies that break up and re-form?  From an applications point of view, nanoparticle clusters are of interest for applications drug delivery, bioimaging, and toner for digital printing.  In this talk, I will discuss recent experimental efforts of our group to understand nanoparticle clusters using disc-shaped colloids with both adsorbing and non-adsorbing polymers.  I will also present collaborative work on developing process models that can be used to predict process and product conditions that will lead to cluster formation, relevant to industrial applications of such systems.

Fluids and glasses of nanoparticle clusters:  Phase behavior, dynamics, and applications

244th National Meeting (2012)

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