Multicomponent nanocrystal superlattices represent an interesting class of material that derives emergent properties from mesoscale structure, yet their programmability can be limited by the alkyl-chain-based ligands decorating the surfaces of the constituent nanocrystals. Polymeric ligands offer distinct advantages, as they allow for more precise tuning of the effective size and 'interaction softness' through changes to the polymer's molecular weight, chemical nature, architecture, persistence length and surrounding solvent. Here we show the formation of 10 different binary nanocrystal superlattices (BNSLs) with both two- and three-dimensional order through independent adjustment of the core size of spherical nanocrystals and the molecular weight of densely grafted polystyrene ligands. These polymer-brush-based ligands introduce new energetic contributions to the interparticle potential that stabilizes various BNSL phases across a range of length scales and interparticle spacings. Our study opens the door for nanocrystals to become modular elements in the design of functional particle brush solids with controlled nanoscale interfaces and mesostructures.

中文翻译：

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由聚合物接枝的纳米晶体自组装的二元超晶格的结构多样性。

多组分纳米晶体超晶格代表了一类有趣的材料，该材料从中尺度结构中获得了新兴的性能，但它们的可编程性却可能受到装饰纳米颗粒表面的基于烷基链的配体的限制。聚合配体具有明显的优势，因为它们可以通过改变聚合物的分子量，化学性质，结构，持久性长度和周围的溶剂来更精确地调节有效尺寸和“相互作用柔软度”。在这里，我们显示了通过独立调节球形纳米晶体的核尺寸和紧密接枝的聚苯乙烯配体的分子量，以二维和三维顺序形成10个不同的二元纳米晶体超晶格（BNSLs）。这些基于聚合物刷的配体为粒子间电势带来了新的能量贡献，可在各种长度尺度和粒子间间距范围内稳定各种BNSL相。我们的研究为具有可控制的纳米级界面和介观结构的功能性颗粒刷固体设计中的纳米晶体成为模块化元素打开了一扇门。