Self‐Assembly and Self‐Orientation of Truncated Octahedral Magnetite Nanocrystals

Abstract

Monodisperse magnetite nanoparticles (12 nm) in the shape of Wigner–Seitz crystals self-assemble into a body-centered cubic superlattice (see figure) in which the nanoparticles possess the same crystallographic orientations. Shape plays a critical role in controlling the orientation of the nanoparticles in self-assembly. Both self-assembly and self-orientation of nanoparticles are important for technical applications such as high-density magnetic storage.