Janus Colloidal Matchsticks

• DOI: 10.1021/ja305067g
• Publication Date: 2012-07-30T15:45:14Z
• Authors: Kundan Chaudhary; Qian Chen; Jaime J. Juárez; Steve Granick; Jennifer A. Lewis
• Keywords: 02 engineering and technology; 0210 nano-technology

We fabricated chemically and shape-anisotropic colloids composed of silica rods coated with gold tips using a multistep process involving electric-field alignment crystallization, microcontact printing, selective metallization. Through direct observation, we found that these "Janus matchsticks" self-assemble into multipods (bi-, tri-, tetrapods) varying coordination number patch angle in aqueous solution.