Stockholm: self-organising nanomaterials

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Researchers at Stockholm University have developed a new method for producing a range of nanomaterials

Producing nanoparticles of a defined form and size, and at the same time organising them in well ordered structures, is a key requirement for manufacturing nanomaterials on an industrial scale.

Lennart Bergström and his colleagues have devised a self-organising system. Instead of slowly building up these intricate structures, by for example, etching, nanoparticles are pre-programmed to build the desired structure themselves.

The nanoparticles can be used as building blocks for two- and three-dimensional structures with tailor-made properties. It is possible to combine metals, semiconductors, and magnetic nanoparticles in one and the same material, thereby obtaining entirely new combinations of properties.

“Our vision is to get nanoparticles to collaborate and construct complicated structures at will,” says Bergström. “New types of nanostructured materials with unique characteristics, such as magnetic and catalytic properties, can then be created where they are most needed, and in such a way that they can be readily reused.”