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Symmetry breaking polymerization: one-pot synthesis of plasmonic hybrid Janus nanoparticles.


Type

Article

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Authors

Wang, Yanming 
Ding, Tao 
Baumberg, Jeremy J 
Smoukov, Stoyan K 

Abstract

Asymmetric hybrid nanoparticles have many important applications in catalysis, nanomotion, sensing, and diagnosis, however ways to generate the asymmetric hybrid nanoparticles are quite limited and inefficient. Most current methods rely on interfacial adhesion and modification of already formed particles. In this article we report a one-pot, facile and scalable synthesis of anisotropic Au-polymer hybrid nanoparticles via interfacial oxidative dispersion polymerization. The interfacial nucleation and polymerization lead to spontaneous symmetry breaking and formation of the Janus particles. The reaction is initiated by monomer radicals generated by the strong oxidant HAuCl4, which is itself later reduced by the electron-rich monomers to self-nucleate and form Au nanoparticles (NPs). The competition between divinylbenzene adsorption and the PVP capping agent results in effective partial surface wetting, forming asymmetric Au-PDVB hybrid nanoparticles, by confining growth of each material to its own phase. Such spontaneous symmetry breaking, important in morphogenesis, with control over the subsequent growth processes should lead to significant advances in the synthesis of asymmetric nanostructures.

Description

Keywords

0306 Physical Chemistry (incl. Structural), 0303 Macromolecular and Materials Chemistry, Nanotechnology, Bioengineering

Journal Title

Nanoscale

Conference Name

Journal ISSN

2040-3364
2040-3372

Volume Title

7

Publisher

Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC)
Sponsorship
Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EP/G060649/1)
Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EP/L027151/1)
Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EP/K028510/1)
European Research Council (320503)
European Research Council (280078)
The research was funded by ERC grants EMATTER 280078 and LINASS 320503, and EPSRC grants EP/G060649/1, and EP/ L027151/1.