Nanocrystal “molecules” or “oligomers”:
precise-number assemblies of nanocrystals with well-defined geometrical arrangements.
IRG-4 self-assembles, models, and measures these plasmonic metal nanocrystal oligomers in order to tailor their optical properties.
The progression of the optical response with increasing oligomer size maps the evolution of the collective interactions within the structure.
Applications may include decorating surfaces with these assemblies to form “metasurfaces” having engineerable interaction with light.
Broader Impact
C.B. Murray & C.R. Kagan
Philly Materials Day: Nanocapsules
Participants made polymer droplets, illustrating how self-assembly can form functional nanostructures
NanoDay @ Penn: Shape Memory
Hands-on demonstration of “smart” shape-memory alloys exemplified how materials’ structure dictates materials’ properties
NanoDay @ Penn: Thin Films
Making thin films on a liquid interface showed participants how researchers self-assemble nanoscale optical films
N.J. Greybush, I. Liberal, L. Malassis, J.M. Kikkawa (Physics), N. Engheta (Electrical and Systems Engineering), C.B. Murray (Chemistry), C.R. Kagan (Electrical and Systems Engineering)
MRSEC student Nick Greybush demon-strates shape-memory materials
