Here I will describe our recent efforts in understanding the 2-D phase behavior of colloidal nanoparticle assemblies with polymer surfactants that span a liquid-liquid interface. These assemblies can exist in quasi-2D liquid-like and solid-like states, depending on the structure of the interface. I will highlight how it is possible to leverage the dynamic aspects of bonding between the nanoparticles and the polymers in these systems to controllably switch between these solid-like and liquid-like states on demand, which allows for a variety of non-equilibrium shapes (e.g., ellipsoids, cylindrical channels) to become shape-persistent. I will also show how the kinetic trajectory between them can be guided in space and time, which allows for the fabrication of new functional all-liquid systems, such as an all-liquid microfluidic device.

Reconfigurable all-liquid systems using dimensionally confined colloidal nanoparticle–polymer surfactant assemblies at liquid-liquid interfaces

254th National Meeting (2017)

The official archive and repository for all ACS Meetings & Expositions abstracts and select posters or presentations.