Au quantum dots with partial and mixed surfactant ligand shells

Small angle neutron scattering (SANS) will be used to probe the structural differences in mixed ligand and deficient ligand shells on Au quantum dots. The project goal is to develop Monte Carlo simulations to fit scattering data from ligand shell structures on LS-QDs and to simulate their eventual self-assembly interactions in bulk fluids, at interfaces and in nanocomposites. This offers a promising avenue towards increased understanding of ligand shell morphologies and the effects of shell structure on self-assembly, enabling rational approaches in tuning material properties without necessarily requiring chemical variation. High-quality small angle scattering data will also inform the development of Monte Carlo simulations that can provide new fundamental insights into the self-assembly interactions between LS-QDs.