Nanocrystal quantum dots have been widely studied for decades. Continuous optimizations in synthesis have allowed production of high-quality quantum dots with exquisitely controlled size, shape and compositions. These high-quality quantum dots can be used as building 'bricks' for constructing higher-order architectures. While building assemblies from isotropic particles has been well studied and documented, creating novel superstructures from complicated and anisotropic building blocks still lags significantly behind. In this talk, I will discuss about a new synthesis of pyramidal shaped quantum dots which can be used for generating a range of superstructures with and even without periodicities. Detailed analysis from translational alignment to orientational ordering provides understandings of the major driving force of assembly processes. Unlike conventional entropy-driven self-assembly processes, these highly faceted pyramids tend to have selective facet-to-facet attachment through directional inter-particle interaction. This anisotropic interaction offers enthalpy factors which are responsible for the obtained novel structures. Our findings show that high-complexity superstructural materials can be obtained from nanocrystals when anisotropic kinetic factors are fueled, providing a new avenue towards future explorations of processing and structure-related functionalities of nanomaterials.<br/>

Assembly of anisotropic quantum dots from periodic superlattices to aperiodic quasicrystals

2019 Fall National Meeting

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