Inverse patchy colloids: Synthesis, modeling and self-organization

Author(s)
Emanuela Bianchi, Peter D. J. van Oostrum, Christos N. Likos, Gerhard Kahl
Abstract

Inverse patchy colloids are nano- to micro-scale particles with a surface divided into differently charged regions. This class of colloids combines directional, selective bonding with a relatively simple particle design: owing to the competitive interplay between the orientation-dependent attraction and repulsion — induced by the interactions between like/oppositely charged areas — experimentally accessible surface patterns are complex enough to favor the stabilization of specific structures of interest. Most important, the behavior of heterogeneously charged units can be ideally controlled by means of external parameters, such as the pH and the salt concentration. We present a concise review about this class of systems, spanning the range from the synthesis of model inverse patchy particles to their self-assembly, covering their coarse-grained modeling and the related numerical/analytical treatments.

Organisation(s)
Computational and Soft Matter Physics
External organisation(s)
Technische Universität Wien, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences
Journal
Current Opinion in Colloid & Interface Science
Volume
30
Pages
8-15
No. of pages
8
ISSN
1359-0294
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cocis.2017.03.010
Publication date
07-2017
Peer reviewed
Yes
Austrian Fields of Science 2012
103015 Condensed matter
Keywords
ASJC Scopus subject areas
Polymers and Plastics, Surfaces and Interfaces, Physical and Theoretical Chemistry, Colloid and Surface Chemistry
Portal url
https://ucrisportal.univie.ac.at/en/publications/5af581ca-6d19-4611-a31a-84251ebb181a