Fig. 5: Patch-to-patch selective assembly of single-patch prisms.
From: Symmetry-breaking in patch formation on triangular gold nanoparticles by asymmetric polymer grafting
a Schematics of the CTAB-induced patch complexation mechanism. b Chemical structure of PS-b-PAA and CTAB involved in patch-patch selective assembly. c Low magnification TEM and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) (inset) images of dimers. Yellow arrows highlight the merged patch interface. d High magnification TEM images of patch-patch assembled dimers. e Yields of assembly motifs in dimers. The notations in the x-axis mean as follows: n-n: between non-patched prism tips. p-e: patch to prism edge. e-e: between prism edges. p-t: patch and non-patched tip. p-p: between patches. A total of 376 structures are counted. Inset: the yield of dimers compared to assemblies of trimers or larger (noted as ‘≥ 3’) and nonassembled NPs (noted as ‘1’). Scale bars: 1 µm, 100 nm (inset) (c), 50 nm (d).
