Selective two-dimensional adsorption of nanogold particles at heterogeneous molecular surfaces

We have studied the pattern formation of nanogold particles at both homogen eous and model binary heterogeneous molecular surfaces. The growth mechanis ms and topological features of the nanogold colloidal networks, and especia lly their dependence on the chemistry of the surface phases and nanoscale s tructures of the underlying surfaces, have been investigated. In addition t o the critical role played by these nanoscale surface properties, both the immersion time in the colloidal suspension and the late-stage hydrodynamic flow related to the drying of the remaining dispersion film were shown to d etermine the topological features of the emerging networks. As a fundamenta l result, a "size-scaling" criterion between the aggregating particles and the underlying nanodomains was found, which critically determines both the length scale and the topology of the emerging patterns.