Exploiting Mixed Self-Assembled Monolayers for Design and Fabrication of Patchy Particles

Previous computational studies [1] explained the formation of patterns (stripes and patches) in binary mixtures of immiscible surfactants adsorbed on gold nanoparticles [2]. As an extension of those studies, we performed atomistic and mesoscale simulations of ternary and quaternary mixed self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) on nanoparticle surfaces  Here we present predictions for new and unexpected patterns for patchy particles that could be synthesized through judicious choice of surfactant architecture, nanoparticle geometry, and SAM stoichiometry. 

[1] C. Singh et al. Physical Review Letters 99, 226106 (2007)

[2] A.M. Jackson et al. Nature Materials, 3, 330-336 (2004)