Nanoscale materials offer remarkable chemical and physical properties that transform theoretical applications, like single-molecule sensing and minimally invasive photothermal therapy, into practical realities.
The unparalleled features of nanoparticles make them promising for various research and industrial uses. However, effectively using these materials is challenging due to the absence of a rapid and consistent method to transfer a uniform monolayer of nanoparticles, a crucial step in device manufacturing.
One potential solution to this challenge lies in electrostatic assembly processes, where oppositely charged nanoparticles adhere to a surface, forming a monolayer that repels other similarly charged particles from attaching further. While effective, this process is often slow. Nature provides an innovative model to address this limitation through underwater adhesion strategies, which have evolved to circumvent similar problems.
Inspired by these natural processes, a research team at the Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology, led by PhD student Doeun Kim and Assistant Professor Hyeon-Ho Jeong, developed a “mussel-inspired” nanoparticle assembly technique. This method enables rapid transfer of materials from water to 2-inch wafers in just 10 seconds, creating 2D monolayers with about 40% surface coverage. Their work, highlighted in the journal Advanced Materials, represents a breakthrough in nanoparticle assembly.
Ms Kim explained the inspiration behind the novel technique, noting how mussels approach surfaces in water. “We saw that mussels simultaneously radiate amino acids to dissociate water molecules on the surface, enabling swift attachment of the chemical adhesive on the target surface,” she said. The team realised that a similar approach could be taken with nanoparticles by introducing excess protons to remove hydroxyl groups from the surface, increasing the electrostatic attraction between the nanoparticles and the target. This insight significantly sped up the assembly process.
The researchers manipulated the electrostatic surface potential of both the nanoparticles and the target surface by using proton dynamics, ensuring the particles uniformly adhered in seconds. They then tested this technique’s efficiency by comparing it with traditional assembly methods. The results demonstrated that this approach was 100 to 1,000 times faster than existing methods. The accelerated assembly was attributed to the protons’ ability to remove unwanted hydroxyl groups, enhancing the diffusion and adhesion of the nanoparticles.
Moreover, the charge-sensitive nature of this process facilitated precise “healing” of monolayer films and enabled “pick-and-place” nanopatterning at the wafer scale. This technique also allows the production of wafer-level, full-color reflective metasurfaces through plasmonic architecture, unlocking new possibilities in creating colorful artworks and optical encryption devices.
This nature-inspired proof of concept marks a significant advance toward the broader use of monolayer nanomaterial coatings. Professor Jeong envisioned the potential impact of this research: “We envision that this research will accelerate the impact of functional nanomaterials on our lives and advance the mass production of mono-layered films, thus facilitating a wide range of applications, ranging from photonic and electronic devices to novel functional materials for energy and environmental applications.”
This innovative technique could play a pivotal role in future nanotechnology applications, offering a method that is not only rapid and efficient but also precise and adaptable.
Author:
Arnold Kristoff
News
Novel mRNA therapy curbs antibiotic-resistant infections in preclinical lung models
Researchers at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and collaborators have reported early success with a novel mRNA-based therapy designed to combat antibiotic-resistant bacteria. The findings, published in Nature Biotechnology, show that in [...]
New skin-permeable polymer delivers insulin without needles
A breakthrough zwitterionic polymer slips through the skin’s toughest barriers, carrying insulin deep into tissue and normalizing blood sugar, offering patients a painless alternative to daily injections. A recent study published in the journal Nature examines [...]
Multifunctional Nanogels: A Breakthrough in Antibacterial Strategies
Antibiotic resistance is a growing concern - from human health to crop survival. A new study successfully uses nanogels to target and almost entirely inhibit the bacteria P. Aeruginosa. Recently published in Angewandte Chemie, the study [...]
Nanoflowers rejuvenate old and damaged human cells by replacing their mitochondria
Biomedical researchers at Texas A&M University may have discovered a way to stop or even reverse the decline of cellular energy production—a finding that could have revolutionary effects across medicine. Dr. Akhilesh K. Gaharwar [...]
The Stunning New Push to Protect the Invisible 99% of Life
Scientists worldwide have joined forces to build the first-ever roadmap for conserving Earth’s vast invisible majority—microbes. Their new IUCN Specialist Group reframes conservation by elevating microbial life to the same urgency as plants and [...]
Scientists Find a Way to Help the Brain Clear Alzheimer’s Plaques Naturally
Scientists have discovered that the brain may have a built-in way to fight Alzheimer’s. By activating a protein called Sox9, researchers were able to switch on star-shaped brain cells known as astrocytes and turn them into [...]
Vision can be rebooted in adults with amblyopia, study suggests
Temporarily anesthetizing the retina briefly reverts the activity of the visual system to that observed in early development and enables growth of responses to the amblyopic eye, new research shows. In the common vision [...]
Ultrasound-activated Nanoparticles Kill Liver Cancer and Activate Immune System
A new ultrasound-guided nanotherapy wipes out liver tumors while training the immune system to keep them from coming back. The study, published in Nano Today, introduces a biodegradable nanoparticle system that combines sonodynamic therapy and cell [...]
Magnetic nanoparticles that successfully navigate complex blood vessels may be ready for clinical trials
Every year, 12 million people worldwide suffer a stroke; many die or are permanently impaired. Currently, drugs are administered to dissolve the thrombus that blocks the blood vessel. These drugs spread throughout the entire [...]
Reviving Exhausted T Cells Sparks Powerful Cancer Tumor Elimination
Scientists have discovered how tumors secretly drain the energy from T cells—the immune system’s main cancer fighters—and how blocking that process can bring them back to life. The team found that cancer cells use [...]
Very low LDL-cholesterol correlates to fewer heart problems after stroke
Brigham and Women's Hospital's TIMI Study Group reports that in patients with prior ischemic stroke, very low achieved LDL-cholesterol correlated with fewer major adverse cardiovascular events and fewer recurrent strokes, without an apparent increase [...]
“Great Unified Microscope” Reveals Hidden Micro and Nano Worlds Inside Living Cells
University of Tokyo researchers have created a powerful new microscope that captures both forward- and back-scattered light at once, letting scientists see everything from large cell structures to tiny nanoscale particles in a single shot. Researchers [...]
Breakthrough Alzheimer’s Drug Has a Hidden Problem
Researchers in Japan found that although the Alzheimer’s drug lecanemab successfully removes amyloid plaques from the brain, it does not restore the brain’s waste-clearing system within the first few months of treatment. The study suggests that [...]
Concerning New Research Reveals Colon Cancer Is Skyrocketing in Adults Under 50
Colorectal cancer is striking younger adults at alarming rates, driven by lifestyle and genetic factors. Colorectal cancer (CRC) develops when abnormal cells grow uncontrollably in the colon or rectum, forming tumors that can eventually [...]
Scientists Discover a Natural, Non-Addictive Way To Block Pain That Could Replace Opioids
Scientists have discovered that the body can naturally dull pain through its own localized “benzodiazepine-like” peptides. A groundbreaking study led by a University of Leeds scientist has unveiled new insights into how the body manages pain, [...]
GLP-1 Drugs Like Ozempic Work, but New Research Reveals a Major Catch
Three new Cochrane reviews find evidence that GLP-1 drugs lead to clinically meaningful weight loss, though industry-funded studies raise concerns. Three new reviews from Cochrane have found that GLP-1 medications can lead to significant [...]
