Quasicrystalline Nanocrystal Superlattice with Partial Matching Rules

TL;DR

This study reports a novel quasicrystalline nanocrystal superlattice with partial matching rules, revealing insights into mesoscale order and structural stabilization through combined experimental and computational analysis.

Contribution

It introduces a new quasicrystalline binary nanocrystal superlattice with partial matching rules, advancing understanding of self-assembled mesoscale structures.

Findings

Determined a 3D structure model via electron tomography.

Observed broken 12-fold symmetry in sub-layers, forming a random tiling.

Demonstrated the potential of nanocrystal superlattice engineering.

Abstract

Expanding the library of self-assembled superstructures provides insight into the behavior of atomic crystals and supports the development of materials with mesoscale order. Here we build upon recent findings of soft matter quasicrystals and report a quasicrystalline binary nanocrystal superlattice that exhibits correlations in the form of partial matching rules reducing tiling disorder. We determine a three-dimensional structure model through electron tomography and direct imaging of surface topography. The 12-fold rotational symmetry of the quasicrystal is broken in sub-layers, forming a random tiling of rectangles, large triangles, and small triangles with 6-fold symmetry. We analyze the geometry of the experimental tiling and discuss factors relevant for the stabilization of the quasicrystal. Our joint experimental-computational study demonstrates the power of nanocrystal superlattice engineering and further narrows the gap between the richness of crystal structures found with atoms and in soft matter assemblies.