Two-Stage Assembly of Mesocrystal Fibers with Tunable Diameters in Weak Magnetic Fields.

ABSTRACT: Controlling the morphology and crystallographic coherence of assemblies of magnetic nanoparticles is a promising route to functional materials. Time-resolved small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) was combined with microscopy and scaling analysis to probe and analyze evaporation-induced assembly in levitating drops and thin films of superparamagnetic iron oxide nanocubes in weak magnetic fields. We show that assembly of micrometer-sized mesocrystals with a cubic shape preceded the formation of fibers with a high degree of crystallographic coherence and tunable diameters. The second-stage assembly of aligned cuboidal mesocrystals into fibers was driven by the magnetic field, but the first-stage assembly of the oleate-capped nanocubes was unaffected by weak magnetic fields. The transition from

SUBMITTER: Kapuscinski M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7587140 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature