SELF-ASSEMBLED MONOLAYER OF NANOSIZED PARTICLES DIFFERING BY THEIR SIZES

Reverse micelles are used to control the size of silver sulfide partic les. After these particles are coated with dodecanethiol, they are ext racted from micelles and dispersed in heptane solution. The size of th e particles is determined by transmission electron microscopy and smal l-angle X-ray scattering. On a solid support, a self organization of t he nanosized particles in a hexagonal network is observed. The self as sembly is obtained for various particle sizes (from 3 to 6 nm) and sol id supports. The network takes place on a long-range domain which is u sually larger than 5 x 10(5) nm(2). By leaving a solid support in the colloidal solution, multilayers of nanoparticles are observed, indicat ing that the self assembly is mainly due to Van der Waals and dispersi on forces.