Morphogenesis of Magnetite Mesocrystals: Interplay between Nanoparticle Morphology and Solvation Shell
Chemistry of Materials, vol. 33, pp. 9119–9130
Abstract
Nanoparticle assemblies with long-range packing order and preferred crystallographic orientation of building blocks, i.e., mesocrystals, are of high interest not only because of their unique physical properties but also due to their complex structure and morphogenesis. In this study, faceted mesocrystals have been assembled from the dispersion of truncated cubic-shaped iron oxide nanoparticles stabilized by oleic acid (OA) molecules using the nonsolvent “gas phase diffusion technique” into an organic solvent. The effects of synthesis conditions as well as of the nanoparticle size and shape on the structure and morphogenesis of mesocrystals were examined. The interactions of OA-capped iron oxide nanoparticles with solvent molecules were probed by analytical ultracentrifugation and double difference pair distribution function analysis. It was shown that the structure of the organic shell significantly depends on the nature and polarity of solvent molecules. For the nonpolar solvents, the interaction of the aliphatic chains of OA molecules with the solvent molecules is favorable and the chains extend into the solvent. The solvation shell around the nanoparticles is more extended in nonpolar and more compact in polar solvents. There is a clear trend for more spherical particles to be assembled into the fcc superlattice, whereas less truncated cubes form rhombohedral and tetragonal structures. The observed changes in packing symmetry are reminiscent of structural polymorphism known for “classical” (atomic and molecular) crystals.
Authors 21
-
Affiliation as printed
Department of Chemistry, Universität Konstanz, Universitätsstraße 10, 78467 Konstanz, Germany
-
Affiliation as printed
Department of Chemistry, Universität Konstanz, Universitätsstraße 10, 78467 Konstanz, Germany
-
University of Bayreuth · RWTH Aachen University
Affiliation as printed
Department of Chemistry, University of Bayreuth, Universitätsstraße 30, 95447 Bayreuth, Germany
Institute of Crystallography, RWTH Aachen University, Jägerstr. 17-19, 52066 Aachen, Germany
-
Affiliation as printed
Department of Chemistry, Universität Konstanz, Universitätsstraße 10, 78467 Konstanz, Germany
-
Technische Universität Dresden
Affiliation as printed
Department of Chemistry, TU Dresden, Bergstraße 66b, 01062 Dresden, Germany
-
Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY
Affiliation as printed
Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestrasse 85, D-22607 Hamburg, Germany
-
Affiliation as printed
Department of Chemistry, Universität Konstanz, Universitätsstraße 10, 78467 Konstanz, Germany
-
Leibniz Institute for Solid State and Materials Research
Affiliation as printed
Advanced Methods of Electron Microscopy (AMEM), Leibniz Institute for Solid State and Materials Research (IFW) Dresden, Helmholtzstraße 20, 01069 Dresden, Germany
-
Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY
Affiliation as printed
Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestrasse 85, D-22607 Hamburg, Germany
-
Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY
Affiliation as printed
Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestrasse 85, D-22607 Hamburg, Germany
-
Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY
Affiliation as printed
Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestrasse 85, D-22607 Hamburg, Germany
-
Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY
Affiliation as printed
Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestrasse 85, D-22607 Hamburg, Germany
-
Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY
Affiliation as printed
Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestrasse 85, D-22607 Hamburg, Germany
-
Max Planck Institute for Chemical Physics of Solids
Affiliation as printed
Max-Planck-Institute for Chemical Physics of Solids, Nöthnitzer Straße 40, 01187 Dresden, Germany
-
Leibniz University Hannover · University of Konstanz
Affiliation as printed
Department of Chemistry, Universität Konstanz, Universitätsstraße 10, 78467 Konstanz, Germany
Institute of Inorganic Chemistry, Leibniz-University Hannover, Callinstrasse 9, 30167 Hannover, Germany
-
Technische Universität Dresden
Affiliation as printed
Department of Chemistry, TU Dresden, Bergstraße 66b, 01062 Dresden, Germany
-
Leibniz Institute for Solid State and Materials Research
Affiliation as printed
Advanced Methods of Electron Microscopy (AMEM), Leibniz Institute for Solid State and Materials Research (IFW) Dresden, Helmholtzstraße 20, 01069 Dresden, Germany
-
Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY · National Research Nuclear University MEPhI
Affiliation as printed
Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestrasse 85, D-22607 Hamburg, Germany
National Research Nuclear University MEPhI (Moscow Engineering Physics Institute), Kashirskoe shosse 31, Moscow 115409, Russian Federation
-
Affiliation as printed
Department of Chemistry, Universität Konstanz, Universitätsstraße 10, 78467 Konstanz, Germany
-
University of Bayreuth · RWTH Aachen University
Affiliation as printed
Department of Chemistry, University of Bayreuth, Universitätsstraße 30, 95447 Bayreuth, Germany
Institute of Crystallography, RWTH Aachen University, Jägerstr. 17-19, 52066 Aachen, Germany
-
Elena V. Sturm corresponding
Affiliation as printed
Department of Chemistry, Universität Konstanz, Universitätsstraße 10, 78467 Konstanz, Germany
Cited by 21 stored of 21
No patents citing this paper on Lens.org (checked 2026-10-06).