Temperature-induced structural transitions in self-assembling magnetic nanocolloids

Autor(en)

Sofia S. Kantorovich, Alexey O. Ivanov, Lorenzo Rovigatti, Jose M. Tavares, Francesco Sciortino

Abstrakt

With the help of a unique combination of density functional theory and computer simulations, we discover two possible scenarios, depending on concentration, for the hierarchical self-assembly of magnetic nanoparticles on cooling. We show that typically considered low temperature clusters, i.e. defect-free chains and rings, merge into more complex branched structures through only three types of defects: four-way X junctions, three-way Y junctions and two-way Z junctions. Our accurate calculations reveal the predominance of weakly magnetically responsive rings cross-linked by X defects at the lowest temperatures. We thus provide a strategy to fine-tune magnetic and thermodynamic responses of magnetic nanocolloids to be used in medical and microfluidics applications.

Organisation(en)

Computergestützte Physik und Physik der Weichen Materie

Externe Organisation(en)

Ural Federal University, Instituto Politécnico de Lisboa, Universidade de Lisboa, Università degli Studi di Roma La Sapienza

Journal

Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics

Band

17

Seiten

16601-16608

Anzahl der Seiten

8

ISSN

1463-9076

DOI

https://doi.org/10.1039/c5cp01558h

Publikationsdatum

2015

Peer-reviewed

Ja

ÖFOS 2012

103036 Theoretische Physik, 103023 Polymerphysik, 103017 Magnetismus

Schlagwörter

ASJC Scopus Sachgebiete

Allgemeine Physik und Astronomie, Physical and Theoretical Chemistry

Link zum Portal

https://ucrisportal.univie.ac.at/de/publications/0bd3c2a3-8ba3-47c6-a37a-88e940715609