Self-Assembly of Colloidal Molecules Based on Host–Guest Chemistry and Geometric Constraints

Abstract

The preparation of colloidal molecules (CMs), that is, clusters of colloids with a defined aggregation number and configuration, is of continued and significant interest in colloid chemistry and materials science and numerous interactions have been utilized to drive their (self-)assembly. However, only very few reports are available on the assembly of CMs based on host–guest chemistry. In this paper, we investigate the assembly of like-charged silica particles into well-defined, core-satellite ABn-type CMs in water, mediated by host–guest interactions and geometric constraints. Exploiting the inherent dynamics of noncovalent attraction and making use of a soft polymer shell to enhance multivalent host–guest interactions, we successfully synthesized AB3, AB4, and AB6 CMs by selecting the appropriate size ratio of satellite to core particles.