Interactions between passivated nanoparticles in solutions: Beyond the continuum model

We apply the integral equation theory to study the solvent-induced potentia l of mean force between two passivated nanoparticles in dilute solution. Th is approach explicitly accounts for the molecular structure of the solvent and the anisotropy of its density profile induced by the pair of nanopartic les. We discuss the implications of our theoretical results for the problem of self-assembly of nanoparticles, and point out significant differences f rom the commonly used continuum solvent model. (C) 2001 American Institute of Physics.