The flow behavior of liquids is ubiquitous in preparing nanostructures by solution methods and has critical impacts on heat and mass transfer, but the utilization and regulation are still in their infancy. Here we developed probe methods to demonstrate the rapid flow and size-dependent fragmentation phenomena induced by volatile organic droplets on the water surface. With C<sub>60</sub> as a surface-inactive probe that preferentially aggregates and precipitates at the contact line, the profile of droplets beyond the optical resolution limit was characterized. The millisecond-period fast fragmentation of droplets lasted down to the nanoscale, acting as an automatic self-partitioning system for the efficient and low-cost preparation of various polymer nanostructures without any surfactants. Due to the high flow velocity gradient, polymer chains were also fully stretched to form sub-nanowire products. On the other hand, we also developed a general strategy for utilizing Marangoni flow regulated by the surface tension gradient to aggregate and assemble single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) into high-density arrays. This strategy was applicable to various substrates and dispersing systems. The densities of SWCNT arrays assembled from organic and aqueous dispersions were ≥128 /μm and ≥122 /μm, respectively, and the two-dimensional order parameters were 0.955 and 0.923, respectively.

Preparation of nanostructures regulated by flow behavior of liquids

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