Hierarchical structuring of cerium oxide nanoparticles driven by amphiphilic coating.

In recent years, the controlled clustering of NPs building blocks into defined geometric arrangements opens a new research area in soft materials with original physico-chemical properties. NP clusters not only allow the combination of properties of individual NPs but also takes advantage of the interactions between neighboring NPs which can result in new properties. Here, a button-up approach led to clusters of coated cerium oxide nanoparticles (CeO2-NPs) dispersed in water. Through hydrophobic interactions between the alkyl chains of organic coating, aggregates can be obtained with a more or less complex order, passing from faces cubic structures or body-centered cubic structures to Frank-Kasper phases. The aim of this project is to understand how the ratio between the inorganic core radius and alkyl chain length influences the hierarchical organization of CeO2-NPs.