Huang, J;
Foldes, T;
McCune, JA;
Xu, DD;
de Nijs, B;
Chikkaraddy, R;
Collins, SM;
... Sokolowski, K; + view all
(2021)
Nanoparticle surfactants for kinetically arrested photoactive assemblies to track light-induced electron transfer.
Nature Nanotechnology
, 16
pp. 1121-1129.
10.1038/s41565-021-00949-6.
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Abstract
Nature controls the assembly of complex architectures through self-limiting processes; however, few artificial strategies to mimic these processes have been reported to date. Here we demonstrate a system comprising two types of nanocrystal (NC), where the self-limiting assembly of one NC component controls the aggregation of the other. Our strategy uses semiconducting InP/ZnS core–shell NCs (3 nm) as effective assembly modulators and functional nanoparticle surfactants in cucurbit[n]uril-triggered aggregation of AuNCs (5–60 nm), allowing the rapid formation (within seconds) of colloidally stable hybrid aggregates. The resultant assemblies efficiently harvest light within the semiconductor substructures, inducing out-of-equilibrium electron transfer processes, which can now be simultaneously monitored through the incorporated surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy–active plasmonic compartments. Spatial confinement of electron mediators (for example, methyl viologen (MV2+)) within the hybrids enables the direct observation of photogenerated radical species as well as molecular recognition in real time, providing experimental evidence for the formation of elusive σ–(MV+)2 dimeric species. This approach paves the way for widespread use of analogous hybrids for the long-term real-time tracking of interfacial charge transfer processes, such as the light-driven generation of radicals and catalysis with operando spectroscopies under irreversible conditions.
Type: | Article |
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Title: | Nanoparticle surfactants for kinetically arrested photoactive assemblies to track light-induced electron transfer |
Open access status: | An open access version is available from UCL Discovery |
DOI: | 10.1038/s41565-021-00949-6 |
Publisher version: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41565-021-00949-6 |
Language: | English |
Additional information: | This version is the author accepted manuscript. For information on re-use, please refer to the publisher’s terms and conditions. |
Keywords: | METHYL VIOLOGEN, NANOCRYSTALS, REDUCTION, CHEMISTRY, GROWTH |
UCL classification: | UCL UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL BEAMS UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL BEAMS > Faculty of Maths and Physical Sciences UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL BEAMS > Faculty of Maths and Physical Sciences > Dept of Physics and Astronomy |
URI: | https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10137512 |
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