Surfactant-free methods for interfacially enriching anisotropic nanoparticles

Because of their small size, nanoparticles have unique physical and chemical properties. If nanoparticles cover a surface, they form a coating, imbuing that surface with unique features such as being water-repellent, antibacterial, or electrically conductive. This process is driven by how nanoparticles behave at the boundary between air and water, with harmful chemicals called surfactants used to control this boundary behaviour. This thesis shows two new, surfactant-free methods for forming nanoparticle coatings, and explores how these processes work, furthering our fundamental understanding of how nanoparticles behave and the “boundary issues” we need to consider when making nanoparticle coatings.