Liquid-crystalline nanoparticles: Hybrid design and mesophase structures.

Liquid-crystalline nanoparticles represent an exciting class of new materials for a variety of potential applications. By combining supramolecular ordering with the fluid properties of the liquid-crystalline state, these materials offer the possibility to organise nanoparticles into addressable 2-D and 3-D arrangements exhibiting high processability and self-healing properties. Herein, we review the developments in the field of discrete thermotropic liquid-crystalline nanoparticle hybrids, with special emphasis on the relationship between the nanoparticle morphology and the nature of the organic ligand coating and their resulting phase behaviour. Mechanisms proposed to explain the supramolecular organisation of the mesogens within the liquid-crystalline phases are discussed.

Orienting the demixion of a diblock copolymer using 193 nm interferometric lithography for the controlled deposition of nanoparticles.

DUV interferometric lithography and diblock copolymer self-organization have successfully been combined to provide a simple and highly collective nanopatterning technique enabling the organization of nanoparticles over several orders of magnitude, from nanometre to millimetre. The nanostructural changes at the surface of the polymer film after thermal annealing have been monitored by AFM and the process parameters optimized for obtaining a long-range organization of the lamellar domains. In particular, the impact of the annealing conditions and geometric parameters of the substrate patterns have been investigated. The nanopatterns resulting from the lamellar demixion of (PS-b-MMA) were used for a controlled deposition of nanoparticles. The affinity of the hydrophobic particles for the PS block was demonstrated, opening new doors towards the preparation of high-density arrays of nanoparticles with potential applications in data storage.

Magnetism in gold nanoparticles.

Gold nanoparticles currently elicit an intense and very broad research activity because of their peculiar properties. Be it in catalysis, optics, electronics, sensing or theranostics, new applications are found daily for these materials. Approximately a decade ago a report was published with magnetometry data showing that gold nanoparticles, most surprisingly, could also be magnetic, with features that the usual rules of magnetism were unable to explain. Many ensuing experimental papers confirmed this observation, although the reported magnetic behaviours showed a great variability, for unclear reasons. In this review, most of the experimental facts pertaining to "magnetic gold" are summarized. The various theories put forth for explaining this unexpected magnetism are presented and discussed. We show that despite much effort, a satisfying explanation is still lacking and that the field of hypotheses should perhaps be widened.