Universal solvent restructuring induced by colloidal nanoparticles

Abstract

Structured solvents near nanoparticles The physical properties and reactivity of nanoparticles in solution depend not only on their surface termination but also on changes in solvent ordering caused by the presence of the interface created by the nanoparticle. Zobel et al. used x-ray scattering to study solvent ordering for a variety of metal and metal-oxide nanoparticles in a variety of polar solvents (alcohols) and a nonpolar solvent (n-hexane). They observed layers of enhanced ordering near the nanoparticle surface relative to the bulk solvent. These trends were largely independent of surface chemistry, such as changing the surface groups from hydroxyls to carboxylates. Science , this issue p. 292