Why in the News?
Scientists from the United States and South Korea have developed a novel “atomic stencilling” method to coat gold nanoparticles with polymer patches, enabling unprecedented nanoscale precision in material design.
What is Atomic Stencilling?
- Overview: A novel nanofabrication technique where iodide atoms act as nanoscale masks (stencils) on gold nanoparticle surfaces, allowing scientists to “paint” polymer patches with atomic-level precision.
- Mechanism: These polymer-coated patches create distinct functional zones on each nanoparticle, enabling controlled self-assembly into complex 3D nanostructures.
- Innovation Context: Represents a breakthrough in atomic-scale material patterning, advancing nanotechnology toward programmable matter and precision material design.
Advantages Offered:
- Atomic Precision: Achieves atomic-scale patterning, precisely controlling patch size, geometry, and placement.
- High Uniformity: Generates identical nanoparticles for consistent, predictable self-assembly behaviour.
- Scalability: Allows large-scale synthesis of patchy nanoparticles with simplified processing.
- Material Versatility: Compatible with multiple materials — gold, silver, silica — and adaptable to various polymer coatings.
- Enhanced Self-Assembly: Promotes spontaneous formation of ordered 3D superlattices and metamaterials.
- Functional Tunability: Enables customisation of surface chemistry, optical, and electronic properties.
Key Applications:
- Targeted Drug Delivery: Functional patches enable selective binding and controlled release to specific biological targets.
- Catalysis: Distinct surface domains improve reactivity and catalytic precision.
- Optoelectronics & Photonics: Supports creation of plasmonic and light-responsive metamaterials.
- Energy Systems: Enhances charge transfer and stability in batteries and solar cells.
- Smart Materials: Forms basis for programmable, self-assembling nanostructures with adaptive functions.
| [UPSC 2022] Consider the following statements: 1. Other than those made by humans, nanoparticles do not exist in nature. 2. Nanoparticles of some metallic oxides are used in the manufacture of some cosmetics. 3. Nanoparticles of some commercial products which enter the environment are unsafe for humans. Which of the statements given above is/are correct? Options: (a) 1 only (b) 3 only (c) 1 and 2 (d) 2 and 3 * |
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