(246a) Modulating Layer-by-Layer Assembly of Oppositely Charged Nanoparticles Using Amphiphilic Molecules

Aqueous-based layer-by-Layer (LbL) assembly of charged species provides a versatile method to create conformal thin films on a variety of substrates with a precise control over the physical and chemical properties of thin films. While recent studies have shown that LbL assembly of oppositely charged nanoparticles can lead to generation of multifunctional thin films, these multifunctional thin films could only be assembled in a very narrow pH range. Such a limitation significantly hampers the widespread application of the LbL method to generate all-nanoparticle thin films with different functionalities. In this study, we demonstrate that the LbL assembly of oppositely charged nanoparticles outside the narrow pH ranges can be successfully achieved by adding low molecular weight amphiphilic molecules to nanoparticle suspensions. In this talk, the effect of concentration of these amphiphilic molecules on the composition and growth behavior of LbL thin films comprising oppositely charged nanoparticles will be described. The effect of calcination on the structural properties of the LbL thin films is also investigated.