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Materials

Chemistry in Pictures: Nanoscale snakeskin

December 19, 2017

A colorized transmission electron micrograph displaying different textures of iron oxide nanocrystals.
Credit: Loro Corazza/SupramoleculART

Inorganic nanocrystals can self-assemble into different conformations, such as tubes and hexagonal networks. Capillary or van der Waals forces often drive this self-organization. The colorized transmission electron microscope image here shows self-assembled iron oxide nanocrystals. In the green areas, the particles form a honeycomblike structure, whereas in the blue areas, they align in rows. To produce these snakeskin-like patterns, researchers synthesized a solution of the nanocrystals and evaporated a drop of it on a grid. The lab from the National University of La Plata that made this image investigates how iron oxide nanoparticles increase the responsiveness of heat-sensitive surfaces.

Submitted by Loro Corazza/SupramoleculART

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