Spatial Distribution of Nanocrystals Imaged at the Liquid-Air Interface.

Authors :: van Rijssel, Jos
van der Linden, Marte
Meeldijk, Johannes D.
van Dijk-Moes, Relinde J. A.
Philipse, Albert P.
Erné, Ben H.
Source :: Physical Review Letters. 9/6/2013, Vol. 111 Issue 10, p108302-1-108302-5. 5p.
Publication Year :: 2013
Abstract: The 3D distribution of nanocrystals at the liquid-air interface is imaged for the first time on a single-particle level by cryogenic electron tomography, revealing the equilibrium concentration profile from the interface to the bulk of the liquid. When the surface tension of the liquid is decreased, the interaction of the nanocrystals with the liquid-air interface shifts from adsorption to desorption. Macroscopic surface tension measurements do not detect this transition, due to the presence of surface-active molecular species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]