Straight-forward synthesis of ringed particles

Abstract

Particles with sophisticated surface patterns have many potential applications ranging from information coding to catalysis and optics. However controlled patterning of particles often requires rather complicated lithographic or template based approaches. Here we report a straightforward chemical synthesis of complex metallic ring structures on the surface of spherical particles using an original template-free bulk process. The number, the size and the position of these rings can be tuned at both macroscopic and microscopic scales. The approach is suitable for different kinds of conducting substrates, and multiple depositions of different metals can be achieved, leading in fine to barcoded objects.