Field-Pulse-Induced Annealing of 2D Colloidal Polycrystals
Two-dimensional colloidal crystals are of considerable fundamental and practical importance. However, their quality is often low due to the widespread presence of domain walls and defects. In this work, we explored the annealing process undergone by monolayers of superparamagnetic colloids adsorbed...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2023-01-01
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| Series: | Nanomaterials |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2079-4991/13/3/397 |
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| author | José Martín-Roca Manuel Horcajo-Fernández Chantal Valeriani Francisco Gámez Fernando Martínez-Pedrero |
| author_facet | José Martín-Roca Manuel Horcajo-Fernández Chantal Valeriani Francisco Gámez Fernando Martínez-Pedrero |
| author_sort | José Martín-Roca |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Two-dimensional colloidal crystals are of considerable fundamental and practical importance. However, their quality is often low due to the widespread presence of domain walls and defects. In this work, we explored the annealing process undergone by monolayers of superparamagnetic colloids adsorbed onto fluid interfaces in the presence of magnetic field pulses. These systems present the extraordinary peculiarity that both the extent and the character of interparticle interactions can be adjusted at will by simply varying the strength and orientation of the applied field so that the application of field pulses results in a sudden input of energy. Specifically, we have studied the effect of polycrystal size, pulse duration, slope and frequency on the efficiency of the annealing process and found that (i) this strategy is only effective when the polycrystal consists of less than approximately 10 domains; (ii) that the pulse duration should be of the order of magnitude of the time required for the outer particles to travel one diameter during the heating step; (iii) that the quality of larger polycrystals can be slightly improved by applying tilted pulses. The experimental results were corroborated by Brownian dynamics simulations. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T09:32:22Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-63bb22f0b09b473ba8aaa18d8fb8e3b4 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2079-4991 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T09:32:22Z |
| publishDate | 2023-01-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Nanomaterials |
| spelling | doaj.art-63bb22f0b09b473ba8aaa18d8fb8e3b42023-11-16T17:34:06ZengMDPI AGNanomaterials2079-49912023-01-0113339710.3390/nano13030397Field-Pulse-Induced Annealing of 2D Colloidal PolycrystalsJosé Martín-Roca0Manuel Horcajo-Fernández1Chantal Valeriani2Francisco Gámez3Fernando Martínez-Pedrero4Departamento de Estructura de la Materia, Física Térmica y Electrónica, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, 28040 Madrid, SpainDepartamento de Química-Física, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, 28040 Madrid, SpainDepartamento de Estructura de la Materia, Física Térmica y Electrónica, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, 28040 Madrid, SpainDepartamento de Química-Física, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, 28040 Madrid, SpainDepartamento de Química-Física, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, 28040 Madrid, SpainTwo-dimensional colloidal crystals are of considerable fundamental and practical importance. However, their quality is often low due to the widespread presence of domain walls and defects. In this work, we explored the annealing process undergone by monolayers of superparamagnetic colloids adsorbed onto fluid interfaces in the presence of magnetic field pulses. These systems present the extraordinary peculiarity that both the extent and the character of interparticle interactions can be adjusted at will by simply varying the strength and orientation of the applied field so that the application of field pulses results in a sudden input of energy. Specifically, we have studied the effect of polycrystal size, pulse duration, slope and frequency on the efficiency of the annealing process and found that (i) this strategy is only effective when the polycrystal consists of less than approximately 10 domains; (ii) that the pulse duration should be of the order of magnitude of the time required for the outer particles to travel one diameter during the heating step; (iii) that the quality of larger polycrystals can be slightly improved by applying tilted pulses. The experimental results were corroborated by Brownian dynamics simulations.https://www.mdpi.com/2079-4991/13/3/397colloidal annealing2D confined systemsdynamic self-assemblyfluid interfacesuperparamagnetic particles |
| spellingShingle | José Martín-Roca Manuel Horcajo-Fernández Chantal Valeriani Francisco Gámez Fernando Martínez-Pedrero Field-Pulse-Induced Annealing of 2D Colloidal Polycrystals Nanomaterials colloidal annealing 2D confined systems dynamic self-assembly fluid interface superparamagnetic particles |
| title | Field-Pulse-Induced Annealing of 2D Colloidal Polycrystals |
| title_full | Field-Pulse-Induced Annealing of 2D Colloidal Polycrystals |
| title_fullStr | Field-Pulse-Induced Annealing of 2D Colloidal Polycrystals |
| title_full_unstemmed | Field-Pulse-Induced Annealing of 2D Colloidal Polycrystals |
| title_short | Field-Pulse-Induced Annealing of 2D Colloidal Polycrystals |
| title_sort | field pulse induced annealing of 2d colloidal polycrystals |
| topic | colloidal annealing 2D confined systems dynamic self-assembly fluid interface superparamagnetic particles |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2079-4991/13/3/397 |
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