Projects / Programmes
Self-assembly of colloids on patterned solid-liquid interfaces
| Code |
Science |
Field |
Subfield |
| 1.02.00 |
Natural sciences and mathematics |
Physics |
|
| Code |
Science |
Field |
| P250 |
Natural sciences and mathematics |
Condensed matter: structure, thermal and mechanical properties, crystallography, phase equilibria |
solid-liquid interface, self-assembly, colloids, interactions in fluids, nanotechnology
Researchers (3)
Organisations (1)
| no. |
Code |
Research organisation |
City |
Registration number |
No. of publicationsNo. of publications |
| 1. |
0106 |
Jožef Stefan Institute |
Ljubljana |
5051606000 |
18 |
Abstract
The principle of self-assembly is the basic mechanism of ordering and organisation of live matter in Nature. It is present at the molecular scale, where it determines the conformations of single macromolecules, and it drives the assembly of molecules into thermodynamically stable cellular structures and finally into the complex organisms. Self-assembly of nano-particles on surfaces will most probably play the role of the basic assembly mechanism in the forthcoming nanotechnology, since it is the only way that enables the building of complex structures within a reasonable time. The basic idea of the proposed research project is that the forces between micro- and nano-particles in a liquid media could be exploited to assemble well-defined, self-organised micro- and nano-structures on the confining surfaces. The main goal of the project is the determination of inter-particle interactions in different model systems that could lead to self-assembly of colloidal particles or single organic macromolecules on the confining surfaces. At the same time we would like to determine the nature of the thermodynamically stable structures that would form on the surfaces. To achieve these goals, we will apply methods of force spectroscopy with an atomic force microscope, ellipsometry, scanning tunnelling microscopy (STM) and quasi-elastic light scattering. The investigations will be performed on two different classes of interaction-mediating liquids: (i) interactions of colloids with the structured confining surface in the presence of complex, anisotropic fluids. (ii) Interaction of colloids in water with the patterned confining surfaces. An important part of the project will be directed in finding new methods of functionalisation of surfaces with a nanometer lateral resolution. This will be achieved by using chemical and physical methods, based on the AFM, STM and other SPM techniques.
