Cubic crystals from cubic colloids

Laura Rossi; Stefano Sacanna; William T M Irvine; Paul M. Chaikin; David J. Pine; Albert P. Philipse

doi:10.1039/c0sm01246g

Cubic crystals from cubic colloids

Laura Rossi, Stefano Sacanna, William T M Irvine, Paul M. Chaikin, David J. Pine, Albert P. Philipse

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

We have studied the crystallization behavior of colloidal cubes by means of tunable depletion interactions. The colloidal system consists of novel micron-sized cubic particles prepared by silica deposition on hematite templates and various non-adsorbing water-soluble polymers as depletion agents. We have found that under certain conditions the cubes self-organize into crystals with a simple cubic symmetry, which is set by the size of the depletant. The dynamic of crystal nucleation and growth is investigated, monitoring the samples in time by optical microscopy. Furthermore, by using temperature sensitive microgel particles as depletant it is possible to fine tune depletion interactions to induce crystal melting. Assisting crystallization with an alternating electric field improves the uniformity of the cubic pattern allowing the preparation of macroscopic (almost defect-free) crystals that show visible Bragg colors.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	4139-4142
Number of pages	4
Journal	Soft Matter
Volume	7
Issue number	9
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1039/c0sm01246g
State	Published - May 7 2011

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Chemistry(all)
Condensed Matter Physics

Access to Document

10.1039/c0sm01246g

Cite this

@article{68bb38228e704c65b64d5b14b88a188d,

title = "Cubic crystals from cubic colloids",

abstract = "We have studied the crystallization behavior of colloidal cubes by means of tunable depletion interactions. The colloidal system consists of novel micron-sized cubic particles prepared by silica deposition on hematite templates and various non-adsorbing water-soluble polymers as depletion agents. We have found that under certain conditions the cubes self-organize into crystals with a simple cubic symmetry, which is set by the size of the depletant. The dynamic of crystal nucleation and growth is investigated, monitoring the samples in time by optical microscopy. Furthermore, by using temperature sensitive microgel particles as depletant it is possible to fine tune depletion interactions to induce crystal melting. Assisting crystallization with an alternating electric field improves the uniformity of the cubic pattern allowing the preparation of macroscopic (almost defect-free) crystals that show visible Bragg colors.",

author = "Laura Rossi and Stefano Sacanna and Irvine, {William T M} and Chaikin, {Paul M.} and Pine, {David J.} and Philipse, {Albert P.}",

year = "2011",

month = may,

day = "7",

doi = "10.1039/c0sm01246g",

language = "English (US)",

volume = "7",

pages = "4139--4142",

journal = "Soft Matter",

issn = "1744-683X",

publisher = "Royal Society of Chemistry",

number = "9",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Cubic crystals from cubic colloids

AU - Rossi, Laura

AU - Sacanna, Stefano

AU - Irvine, William T M

AU - Chaikin, Paul M.

AU - Pine, David J.

AU - Philipse, Albert P.

PY - 2011/5/7

Y1 - 2011/5/7

N2 - We have studied the crystallization behavior of colloidal cubes by means of tunable depletion interactions. The colloidal system consists of novel micron-sized cubic particles prepared by silica deposition on hematite templates and various non-adsorbing water-soluble polymers as depletion agents. We have found that under certain conditions the cubes self-organize into crystals with a simple cubic symmetry, which is set by the size of the depletant. The dynamic of crystal nucleation and growth is investigated, monitoring the samples in time by optical microscopy. Furthermore, by using temperature sensitive microgel particles as depletant it is possible to fine tune depletion interactions to induce crystal melting. Assisting crystallization with an alternating electric field improves the uniformity of the cubic pattern allowing the preparation of macroscopic (almost defect-free) crystals that show visible Bragg colors.

AB - We have studied the crystallization behavior of colloidal cubes by means of tunable depletion interactions. The colloidal system consists of novel micron-sized cubic particles prepared by silica deposition on hematite templates and various non-adsorbing water-soluble polymers as depletion agents. We have found that under certain conditions the cubes self-organize into crystals with a simple cubic symmetry, which is set by the size of the depletant. The dynamic of crystal nucleation and growth is investigated, monitoring the samples in time by optical microscopy. Furthermore, by using temperature sensitive microgel particles as depletant it is possible to fine tune depletion interactions to induce crystal melting. Assisting crystallization with an alternating electric field improves the uniformity of the cubic pattern allowing the preparation of macroscopic (almost defect-free) crystals that show visible Bragg colors.

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=79952698266&partnerID=8YFLogxK

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=79952698266&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1039/c0sm01246g

DO - 10.1039/c0sm01246g

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:79952698266

SN - 1744-683X

VL - 7

SP - 4139

EP - 4142

JO - Soft Matter

JF - Soft Matter

IS - 9

ER -

Cubic crystals from cubic colloids

Abstract

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Cite this