Control of Pore and Wire Dimensions in Mesoporous Metal Nanowire Networks through Curvature Modulation in Lipid Templates: Implications for Use as Electrodes

Akbar, Samina; Boswell, Jacob A.; Waters, Sabrina; Elliott, Joanne; Squires, Adam M.

doi:10.1021/acsanm.1c00505

Cited by 8 publications

(18 citation statements)

References 48 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…36 This has potential for encapsulation of biological molecules 3 and our current study enhances this potential by use of thin films of QII P phases, for surface encapsulation of for example linear molecules 14 within its orthogonal straight channels. Meanwhile, control of the lattice parameter and water channel size of cubic phase films allows control over nanostructure dimensions of metals and other inorganic materials templated within them, as we have shown for 3D nanomaterials deposited within the QII D phase 37 .…”

Section: Implications Of Controlling Lattice Parametermentioning

confidence: 82%

A square nano-array formed by surface aligned self-assembly of a bicontinuous lipid cubic phase

Parsons

Mason

Góźdź

et al. 2022

Preprint

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

We present the formation of oriented thin lipid films belonging to the primitive (Q_II^P) bicontinuous cubic phase, as characterized by grazing-incidence small angle X-ray scattering and atomic force microscopy. The phase shows high out-of-plane orientation with the (100) plane parallel to the substrate; this is consistent across a number of different lipid and surfactant systems. We demonstrate that the adopted orientation can be predicted using a theoretical framework, based on the most favorable facet in terms of curvature energy whilst assuming a closed bilayer. Significantly, the Primitive bicontinuous cubic phase is unique in that it contains straight water channels, with the [100] orientation presenting a square array at the surface with the straight channels running directly parallel and perpendicular to the interface. Moreover, by tuning the composition we show that we can tune the periodic pore-to-pore spacing (lattice parameter) of the structure with control over nanostructure dimensions. We present structures with lattice parameters between 13 and 23 nm. These structural features are important for applications including delivery of bioactive agents, and patterning and templating of inorganic nanomaterials. These findings represent a route to square arrays of nanofeatures with 2 3 times smaller periodicity (4-9 times higher per-area density) than those reported from block copolymer lithographic template systems.

show abstract

Section: Implications Of Controlling Lattice Parametermentioning

confidence: 82%

A square nano-array formed by surface aligned self-assembly of a bicontinuous lipid cubic phase

Parsons

Mason

Góźdź

et al. 2022

Preprint

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…46 After incorporating Brij-56 at different compositions under excess hydration condition, the cubic phase (QII D ) maintained its morphology as reported in our previous study. 47 However, a noticeable increase in lattice parameter was observed at specific Brij-56 compositions (7.5 and 20% w/w Brij-56 in phytantriol). It was proposed that addition of Brij-56 reduced the curvature of lipid bilayer which resulted in swelling of diamond cubic phase structure.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 93%

“…Mesoporous Pt metal templated from these swelled QII D lipid templates all exhibited the "single diamond" (Fd3m) morphology with increased unit cell size. 47 Among the three bicontinuous cubic phases, the primitive phase is the least curved phase and does not appear in pure phytantriol/water systems. However, it is reported that in the presence of additives, QII D phase adopts the QII P phase morphology.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Use of cubic structure with primitive nanochannels for fabrication of free standing 3D nanowire network of Pt with Pm3m symmetry

Akbar¹,

Elliott²,

Squires³

et al. 2022

Nanotechnology

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

In this work, we developed a lipid mixture based on phytantriol / polyoxyethylene surfactant (Brij-56) that forms a Im3m symmetry bicontinuous cubic phase based on the Schwartz primitive surface (QIIP), from which we templated highly ordered 3D nanoporous platinum with a novel “single primitive” morphology (Pm3m symmetry). The QIIP template phase is obtained by incorporation of 17.5 % w/w Brij-56 (C16EO10) (a type-I surfactant) into phytantriol under excess hydration conditions. Phytantriol alone forms the double diamond QIID (Pn3m) phase, and in previous studies incorporating Brij-56 at different compositions the cubic phase maintained this morphology, but increased its lattice parameter; mesoporous metals templated from these QIID lipid templates all exhibited the “single diamond” (Fd3m) morphology. In contrast, the current paper presents the availability of our QIIP cubic phases to template nanoporous materials of single primitive Pm3m morphology via chemical and electrochemical methods. To explore the structure porosity and morphological features of the templated Pt material, X-Ray Scattering and Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) are used. The resulting 3D nanoporous Pt materials are found to exhibit a regular network of Pt nanowires of ~ 4 nm in diameter with a unit cell dimension of 14.8 ± 0.8 nm, reflecting the aqueous network within the QIIP template.

show abstract

“…These unique structures and their properties have been exploited by soft-matter scientists in fields including drug delivery 38 and templating electrode surfaces for catalysis. 39 Micelle formation has been considered in the atmospheric literature, 43 and the concept of the critical micelle concentration (CMC) is well-known by those who model the thermodynamics of atmospheric surfactants. 44,45 Prior to our work, there had not been any systematic study of the effect of LLC phase formation on atmospherically relevant aerosol processes.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The same molecule can exhibit significantly different physical properties dependent on its molecular arrangement. These unique structures and their properties have been exploited by soft-matter scientists in fields including drug delivery and templating electrode surfaces for catalysis …”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Molecular Self-Organization in Surfactant Atmospheric Aerosol Proxies

Milsom,

Squires,

Ward

et al. 2023

Acc. Chem. Res.

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Conspectus Aerosols are ubiquitous in the atmosphere. Outdoors, they take part in the climate system via cloud droplet formation, and they contribute to indoor and outdoor air pollution, impacting human health and man-made environmental change. In the indoor environment, aerosols are formed by common activities such as cooking and cleaning. People can spend up to ca . 90% of their time indoors, especially in the western world. Therefore, there is a need to understand how indoor aerosols are processed in addition to outdoor aerosols. Surfactants make significant contributions to aerosol emissions, with sources ranging from cooking to sea spray. These molecules alter the cloud droplet formation potential by changing the surface tension of aqueous droplets and thus increasing their ability to grow. They can also coat solid surfaces such as windows (“window grime”) and dust particles. Such surface films are more important indoors due to the higher surface-to-volume ratio compared to the outdoor environment, increasing the likelihood of surface film–pollutant interactions. A common cooking and marine emission, oleic acid, is known to self-organize into a range of 3-D nanostructures. These nanostructures are highly viscous and as such can impact the kinetics of aerosol and film aging (i.e., water uptake and oxidation). There is still a discrepancy between the longer atmospheric lifetime of oleic acid compared with laboratory experiment-based predictions. We have created a body of experimental and modeling work focusing on the novel proposition of surfactant self-organization in the atmosphere. Self-organized proxies were studied as nanometer-to-micrometer films, levitated droplets, and bulk mixtures. This access to a wide range of geometries and scales has resulted in the following main conclusions: (i) an atmospherically abundant surfactant can self-organize into a range of viscous nanostructures in the presence of other compounds commonly encountered in atmospheric aerosols; (ii) surfactant self-organization significantly reduces the reactivity of the organic phase, increasing the chemical lifetime of these surfactant molecules and other particle constituents; (iii) while self-assembly was found over a wide range of conditions and compositions, the specific, observed nanostructure is highly sensitive to mixture composition; and (iv) a “crust” of product material forms on the surface of reacting particles and films, limiting the diffusion of reactive gases to the particle or film bulk and subsequent reactivity. These findings suggest that hazardous, reactive materials may be protected in aerosol matrixes underneath a highly viscous shell, thus extending the atmospheric residence times of otherwise short-lived species.

show abstract

Control of Pore and Wire Dimensions in Mesoporous Metal Nanowire Networks through Curvature Modulation in Lipid Templates: Implications for Use as Electrodes

Cited by 8 publications

References 48 publications

A square nano-array formed by surface aligned self-assembly of a bicontinuous lipid cubic phase

A square nano-array formed by surface aligned self-assembly of a bicontinuous lipid cubic phase

Use of cubic structure with primitive nanochannels for fabrication of free standing 3D nanowire network of Pt with Pm3m symmetry

Molecular Self-Organization in Surfactant Atmospheric Aerosol Proxies

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About