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The role of soft colloidal templates in controlling the size and shape of inorganic nanocrystals

Nature Materials volume 2, pages 145–150 (2003)Cite this article

Abstract

In the past decade, colloidal solutions have been assumed to be very efficient templates for controlling particle size and shape. A large number of groups have used reverse micelles to control the size of spherical nanoparticles. This makes it possible to determine the various parameters involved in such processes, and demonstrates that nanoparticles can be considered to be efficient nanoreactors. However, some discrepancies arise. There are few reports concerning the control of particle shape, and it is still rather difficult to determine the key parameters, such as the adsorption of salts and other molecules, and the synthesis procedure. Here, we discuss these controls of the size and shape of inorganic nanomaterials.

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Figure 1: Surfactant shapes and various self-assemblies in colloidal solution.
Figure 2: The different shapes of copper nanocrystals produced in colloidal self-assemblies of surfactant-H2O-isoctane solution.
Figure 3: Silver nanocrystals made in reverse micellar solution.
Figure 4: Various shapes of copper nanocrystals produced in interconnected cylinders in the presence of different salt ions having the same concentration.
Figure 5: Nanodisks.

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  1. Laboratoire des Materiaux Mésoscopiques et Nanomètriques, LM2N, (UMR 7070), Université Pierre et Marie Curie, BP 52, 4 Place Jussieu, Paris, 75005, France

    Marie-Paule Pileni

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Pileni, MP. The role of soft colloidal templates in controlling the size and shape of inorganic nanocrystals. Nature Mater 2, 145–150 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1038/nmat817

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