Surfactant templates, self-assembled

Using a surfactant-based self-assembly synthetic method, semiconductor quantum dot and anti-dot materials have been realized [54-56], Templating and connecting quantum dots into a periodic array or inverting the structure... 

Mesoporous carbon by soft template Carbons with mesostructures have been synthesized by using amphiphilic block copolymer as direct template, self-assembly surfactants or polyelectrolytes in the polymerization media of the carbon precursor. 

We have discussed in the previous sections about the physical properties and surfactant-assisted self-assembly formations of metal nanoparticles. These assembling methods are quite beautiful and intelligent, because they are induced by the spontaneous driving force for assembling by smart choice of the conditions. In the cases of practical use, however, the methods described below are rather tend to be required (1) the method to make a desirable size, length, shape, architecture and position, etc., (2) a simple and easy method, and (3) highly stable assemblies. From these viewpoints, as a final section for a preparation of nanoparticle assembly, we introduce here the template assisted self-assemblies of nanoparticles. This section is classified to three stories corresponding to the dimension (such as ID, 2D and 3D) of the template and assembly. 

Mesoporous oxides have been fabricated using a variety of methods spanning templated self-assembly of nanoparticles, nanocasting and using surfactants to act as a molecular scaffold to help build the mesoporous architecture. Template-free self-assembly of nanoparticles via ice crystallisation has also been achieved, where the phase change from water to ice sculpts the nanoparticles into... 

Protein is an excellent natural nanomaterial for molecular machines. Protein-based molecular machines, often driven by an energy source such as ATP, are abundant in biology. Surfactant peptide molecules undergo self-assembly in solution to form a variety of supermolecular structures at the nanoscale such as micelles, vesicles, unilamellar membranes, and tubules (Maslov and Sneppen, 2002). These assemblies can be engineered to perform a broad spectrum of functions, including delivery systems for therapeutics and templates for nanoscale wires in the case of tubules, and to create and manipulate different structures from the same peptide for many different nanomaterials and nanoengineering applications. 

Synthesis of solid state materials using surfactant molecules as template has been extensively used in this decade. Among the advantages of the use of amphiphilic molecules, the self-assembling property of the surfactants can provide an effective method for synthesising ceramic and composite materials with interesting characteristics, such as nanoscale control of morphology, and nano or mesopore structure with narrow and controllable size distribution [1-5]. 

An excellent example that shows the potential of combining various bottom-up techniques is the joint work by Whitesides and Stucky [4]. Hierarchical metallic oxides were produced by combining (i) sol-gel self-assembly of neutral surfactants, (ii) spherical polystyrene templates, and (iii) molds with micrometric cavities (micromolding). Figure 3.12 shows how the described materials are hierarchically organized at several scales ranging from a few nanometers to hundreds of micrometers. 

There are nevertheless a number of recent indicators that the biotechnological challenge has fostered the chemists creativity. Some of them are able to self-assemble components, thanks to a clever use of surfactants as supramolecular templates. Inorganic complex structures presenting a variety of interesting shapes such as discs or helix can be obtained at a mesoscale or in some cases at the macroscopic level. [28]... 

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