Strain-driven self-rolling of hybrid organic-inorganic microrolls: Interfaces with self-assembled particles

Abstract

Strain driven micro and nanoroll fabrication is generally restricted to multilayer and multiprocessing systems, limiting the ability to exploit self-organization at different length scales. We have designed a hybrid organic-inorganic single-layered film with a surface that responds selectively to external stimuli, resulting in mechanical strain and self-rolling in one-step fabrication. The scrolling is initiated by water and any aqueous solution of molecules or colloidal particles. During scrolling, the different species in solution remain entrapped in the rolls; the constrained environment at the interface of the roll walls pushes the particles to organize into ordered structures. We used this rolling process to create self-assembled hybrid films with well-ordered layers of gold nanoparticles and opals of polystyrene nanospheres. These films also respond selectively to solvents, allowing the easy release of molecules/particles entrapped at the interface. © 2012 Nature Japan K.K. All rights reserved 1884-4057/12.