Linking the Ligand Shell Structure of Nonpolar Nanoparticles to their Colloidal Stability

Bart-Jan Niebuur
Přednáška hosta ústavu
11.6.2025 10:00, Přednáškový sál A

The colloidal stability of ligand-stabilized non-polar gold nanoparticles (Au-NPs) is essential for their combination with other components and the formation of superstructures as building blocks for functional materials. Previous work showed, that the colloidal stability of Au-NPs coated with short, linear hexadecanethiol ligands is governed by a disorder-to-order transition of the ligands. Using scattering experiments and molecular dynamics simulations, we assess three strategies to improve the temperature-dependent colloidal stability of Au-NPs by stabilizing the disordered state of the ligand shell, namely by the use of solvent mixtures, molecular additives, and alternative ligand designs. Furthermore, the packing efficiency of solvent molecules within the ligand shell influences their ability to interact with the ligands and, therefore, may influence the ligand ordering state. Future high-pressure experiments to vary the packing density, carried out in collaboration with the IMC, will give deeper insights into the ligand-solvent interactions within the ligand shell.

Přednáška je vedena v anglickém jazyce