The paper of Prof. Atsushi Takahara (Principal Investigator, Hydrogen Production Research Division, I²CNER), Prof. Hiroshi Jinnai (Hydrogen Production Research Division, I²CNER) and their collaborative research group with Cornell University was published in "Nature Comm" on February 21, 2014.

■ Outline

Controlling superstructure of binary nanoparticle mixtures in three dimensions from self-assembly opens enormous opportunities for the design of materials with unique properties. Here we report on how the intimate coupling of synthesis, in-depth electron tomographic characterization and theory enables exquisite control of superstructure in highly ordered porous three-dimensional continuous networks from single and binary mixtures of metal nanoparticles with a triblock terpolymer. Poly(isoprene-block-styrene-block-(N,N-dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate) is synthesized and used as structure-directing agent for ligand-stabilized platinum and gold nanoparticles. Quantitative analysis provides insights into short- and long-range nanoparticle–nanoparticle correlations, and local and global contributions to structural chirality in the networks. Results provide synthesis criteria for next-generation mesoporous network superstructures from binary nanoparticle mixtures for potential applications in areas including catalysis.

■ Paper

Title: Linking experiment and theory for three-dimensional networked binary metal nanoparticle–triblock terpolymer superstructures

Authors: Zihui Li, Kahyun Hur, Hiroaki Sai, Takeshi Higuchi, Atsushi Takahara, Hiroshi Jinnai, Sol M. Gruner & Ulrich Wiesner

DOI: 10.1038/ncomms4247

Article first published online: 21 February, 2014