3D Ordered Gold Strings by Coating Nanoparticles with Mesogens

Abstract

Gold nanoparticles covered with a nematic liquid-crystal ligand laterally attached via a thioalkyl spacer and a thioalkane “diluent” exhibit 3D ordering in strings jacketed by the mesogens with controllable interparticle spacing. The particles form rhombohedral, hexagonal, and rectangular columnar superlattices, not the usual packing modes of spheres. Detailed facts of importance to specialist readers are published as ”Supporting Information”. Such documents are peer-reviewed, but not copy-edited or typeset. They are made available as submitted by the authors. Please note: The publisher is not responsible for the content or functionality of any supporting information supplied by the authors. Any queries (other than missing content) should be directed to the corresponding author for the article.