Design of Patchy Particles using Ternary Self-Assembled Monolayers

TL;DR

This paper uses DPD simulations to explore how adding a third surfactant to nanoparticle monolayers can create diverse and complex patchy particle patterns, guided by free energy minimization.

Contribution

It introduces a method to design patchy particles with increased pattern diversity by incorporating a third surfactant and analyzing various design parameters.

Findings

Predicted new complex patterns in ternary surfactant monolayers.

Identified key parameters influencing pattern formation.

Demonstrated free energy minimization as the driving force.

Abstract

Recent simulations have studied the formation of patterns in a binary mixture of immiscible surfactants absorbed onto the surface of a spherical nanoparticle. The resulting patterns (Janus, spots and stripes) were in good agreement with experimental results. We perform dissipative particle dynamics (DPD) simulations to study the patterns obtained by adding a third surfactant to the monolayer as a guide towards increasing the richness and diversity of patchy particles synthesized this way. We predict a variety of new patterns that can be produced through different combinations of simple design elements, like nanocolloid size, degree of surfactant immiscibility, stoichiometry of the monolayer, and length difference between surfactants. In all cases, free energy minimization through conformational entropy maximization determines equilibrium pattern formation.