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Abstract Magnetic nanoparticle chains offer the anisotropic magnetic properties that are often desirable for micro‐ and nanoscale systems; however, to date, large‐scale fabrication of these nanochains is limited by the need for an external magnetic field during the synthesis. In this work, the unique self‐assembly of nanoparticles into chains as a result of their intrinsic dipolar interactions only is examined. In particular, it is shown that in a high concentration reaction regime, the dipole–dipole coupling between two neighboring magnetic iron cobalt (FeCo) nanocubes, was significantly strengthened due to small separation between particles and their high magnetic moments. This dipole–dipole interaction enables the independent alignment and synthesis of magnetic FeCo nanochains without the assistance of any templates, surfactants, or even external magnetic field. Furthermore, the precursor concentration ([M] = 0.016, 0.021, 0.032, 0.048, 0.064, and 0.096m) that dictates the degree of dipole interaction is examined—a property dependent on particle size and inter‐particle distance. By varying the spinner speed, it is demonstrated that the balance between magnetic dipole coupling and fluid dynamics can be used to understand the self‐assembly process and control the final structural topology from that of dimers to linear chains (with aspect ratio >10:1) and even to branched networks. Simulations unveil the magnetic and fluid force landscapes that determine the individual nanoparticle interactions and provide a general insight into predicting the resulting nanochain morphology. This work uncovers the enormous potential of an intrinsic magnetic dipole‐induced assembly, which is expected to open new doors for efficient fabrication of 1D magnetic materials, and the potential for more complex assemblies with further studies.
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Hierarchical assemblies of superparamagnetic colloids in time-varying magnetic fields
Magnetically-guided colloidal assembly has proven to be a versatile method for building hierarchical particle assemblies. This review describes the dipolar interactions that govern superparamagnetic colloids in time-varying magnetic fields, and how such interactions have guided colloidal assembly into materials with increasing complexity that display novel dynamics. The assembly process is driven by magnetic dipole–dipole interactions, whose strength can be tuned to be attractive or repulsive. Generally, these interactions are directional in static external magnetic fields. More recently, time-varying magnetic fields have been utilized to generate dipolar interactions that vary in both time and space, allowing particle interactions to be tuned from anisotropic to isotropic. These interactions guide the dynamics of hierarchical assemblies of 1-D chains, 2-D networks, and 2-D clusters in both static and time-varying fields. Specifically, unlinked and chemically-linked colloidal chains exhibit complex dynamics, such as fragmentation, buckling, coiling, and wagging phenomena. 2-D networks exhibit controlled porosity and interesting coarsening dynamics. Finally, 2-D clusters have shown to be an ideal model system for exploring phenomena related to statistical thermodynamics. This review provides recent advances in this fast-growing field with a focus on its scientific potential.
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- Award ID(s):
- 1705703
- PAR ID:
- 10223702
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- Soft Matter
- Volume:
- 17
- Issue:
- 5
- ISSN:
- 1744-683X
- Page Range / eLocation ID:
- 1120 to 1155
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
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- Free Publicly Accessible Full Text
-
Accepted Manuscript1.0
- Journal Article:
- https://doi.org/10.1039/D0SM01878C
