The size-selective interaction of key and lock nanocrystals driven by depletion attraction at the nanoscale

Nanoscale
D HinrichsD Dorfs

Abstract

In this article, we study the size-dependent interactions of quasi-spherical nanocrystals with voids of concave nanoparticles of complementary sizes and shapes. Experimental insights into a system with key and lock particles with smaller dimensions than 15 nm are presented, which provide evidence for key-lock specific interaction on this length scale. Using depletion attraction as a driving force, the key-lock interaction is shown to be reversible and independent of the material composition of the key particles. Poly(ethylene glycol) methacrylate was utilized as a depletion agent in toluene, the solvent of the studied key-lock system. For this work, a model system of specifically developed concave manganese oxide nanocrystals, synthesized via a cast-mold approach, in combination with highly monodisperse quasi-spherical gold nanocrystals, was investigated with transmission electron microscopy, optical UV/vis/NIR spectroscopy and powder X-ray diffraction. Size-dependent key-lock interactions are clearly identified to occur. For geometrical reasons, only key particles with smaller particle diameters than the voids of the complementary lock particles are able to enter the void. So the void diameter of the lock particles sets a diam...Continue Reading

References

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Methods Mentioned

BETA
optical microscopy
transmission electron microscopy
electron diffraction
X-ray
surface plasmon resonance
dynamic light scattering
surface

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