Research Highlight: Quasicrystalline order in self-assembled binary nanoparticle superlattices

1. Research Highlight: Quasicrystalline order in self-assembled binary nanoparticlesuperlattices The University of Chicago MRSEC – IRG3 Rational Design of Nanoparticle and Molecule-Based Functional Materials U. Chicago MRSEC DMR-0820054 • Study of the superlattice formation from nanoparticles provides useful insight into crystallization of atomic systems • Quasicrystals exhibit no apparent translation symmetry, but are perfectly long-range ordered as is evidenced from the electron diffraction patterns • Formation of quasicrystalline nanoparticle assemblies is governed by entropy and does not require a unique combination of interparticle interactions. • Nanoparticle quasicrystals revealed novel general sphere-packing motif D. V. Talapin, E. V. Shevchenko, M. I. Bodnarchuk, X. Ye, J. Chen, C. B. Murray Nature 2009, 461, 964-967 Dmitri V. Talapin : MRSEC Faculty, Univ. of Chicago Marina Bodnarchuk: MRSEC Postdoctoral Scholar Elena V. Shevchenko: Argonne National Laboratory University of Chicago MRSEC