Nanoparticle Self-assembly Assisted by Polymers: The Role of Shear Stress in the Nanoparticle Arrangement of Langmuir and Langmuir-Blodgett Films

Fuente: arXiv
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Main Authors: Martín-García, Beatriz, Velázquez, M. Mercedes
Format: Preprint
Published: 2026
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author Martín-García, Beatriz
Velázquez, M. Mercedes
author_facet Martín-García, Beatriz
Velázquez, M. Mercedes
contents We propose to use the self-assembly ability of a block copolymer combined with compression-expansion cycles to obtain CdSe quantum dots (QDs) structures of different morphology. The methodology proposed consists in transferring onto mica mixed Langmuir monolayers of QDs and the polymer poly (styrene-co-maleic anhydride) partial 2 buthoxy ethyl ester cumene terminated, PS-MA-BEE, previously sheared by 50 compression-expansion cycles. Results indicate that the shear stress takes out nanoparticles at the air-water interface from metastable states and promoted a new equilibrium state of the Langmuir monolayer, then it was transferred onto mica by the Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) methodology and the morphology of the LB films was analyzed by Atomic Force Microscopy and Transmission Electron Microscopy measurements. Our results show that when the amplitude strain increases the QDs domain size decreases and the LB film becomes more ordered. The dynamic of the monolayer relaxation after cycling involves at least three timescales which are related to the damping of surface fluctuation, raft rearrangement and component movements inside each raft. Brewster Angle Microscopy allowed visualizing in situ the raft rearrangement at the air-water interface.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2601_13842
institution arXiv
publishDate 2026
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Nanoparticle Self-assembly Assisted by Polymers: The Role of Shear Stress in the Nanoparticle Arrangement of Langmuir and Langmuir-Blodgett Films
Martín-García, Beatriz
Velázquez, M. Mercedes
Materials Science
Other Condensed Matter
We propose to use the self-assembly ability of a block copolymer combined with compression-expansion cycles to obtain CdSe quantum dots (QDs) structures of different morphology. The methodology proposed consists in transferring onto mica mixed Langmuir monolayers of QDs and the polymer poly (styrene-co-maleic anhydride) partial 2 buthoxy ethyl ester cumene terminated, PS-MA-BEE, previously sheared by 50 compression-expansion cycles. Results indicate that the shear stress takes out nanoparticles at the air-water interface from metastable states and promoted a new equilibrium state of the Langmuir monolayer, then it was transferred onto mica by the Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) methodology and the morphology of the LB films was analyzed by Atomic Force Microscopy and Transmission Electron Microscopy measurements. Our results show that when the amplitude strain increases the QDs domain size decreases and the LB film becomes more ordered. The dynamic of the monolayer relaxation after cycling involves at least three timescales which are related to the damping of surface fluctuation, raft rearrangement and component movements inside each raft. Brewster Angle Microscopy allowed visualizing in situ the raft rearrangement at the air-water interface.
title Nanoparticle Self-assembly Assisted by Polymers: The Role of Shear Stress in the Nanoparticle Arrangement of Langmuir and Langmuir-Blodgett Films
topic Materials Science
Other Condensed Matter
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2601.13842