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Nanoreactors for particle synthesis

Nature Reviews Materials volume 7, pages 428–448 (2022)Cite this article

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Abstract

An emerging strategy for synthesizing nanoclusters and nanoparticles involves the confinement of particle precursors within small volumes and the subsequent reduction and aggregation of those precursors into discrete particles. These spatially isolated volumes are termed nanoreactors, and they impose barriers that not only restrict the movement of metal atoms and other reactants but also provide reaction conditions that are distinct from those of the surrounding environment. Nanoreactors for particle syntheses can be prepared by various strategies, which fall generally into two categories: solution-based and substrate-confined. Solution-based nanoreactors are broadly defined as 3D capsules that can be manipulated in solution, whereas substrate-confined nanoreactors are isolated volumes on a macroscopic substrate or surface. Here, we survey and analyse the merits of different nanoreactor techniques used to synthesize clusters and nanoparticles that cannot easily be made using traditional methods. We look at how the focus in this field has expanded beyond pure synthesis to making massive and complex libraries of materials and enabling exploration of the materials genome through high-throughput screening techniques.

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Fig. 1: Nanoreactor strategies.
Fig. 2: Polymeric nanoreactors.
Fig. 3: Droplet nanoreactors.
Fig. 4: Protein nanoreactors.
Fig. 5: Block copolymer micelle nanolithography.
Fig. 6: Scanning probe block copolymer lithography.
Fig. 7: 3D porous solid templates.
Fig. 8: Lithographically defined nanoreactor templates.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the Sherman Fairchild Foundation, the Air Force Office of Scientific Research award FA9550-16-1-0150, Kairos Ventures and the Air Force Research Laboratory agreement FA8650-15-2-5518. The US Government is authorized to reproduce and distribute reprints for governmental purposes notwithstanding any copyright notation thereon. The views and conclusions contained herein are those of the authors and should not be interpreted as necessarily representing the official policies or endorsements, either expressed or implied, of the Air Force Research Laboratory or the US Government. L.J. was supported by the National Science Foundation through the National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program under grant no. DGE-1842165. Any opinions, findings and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this work are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.

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  1. These authors contributed equally: Jordan H. Swisher, Liban Jibril.

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  1. Department of Chemistry, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA

    Jordan H. Swisher, Sarah Hurst Petrosko & Chad A. Mirkin

  2. International Institute for Nanotechnology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA

    Jordan H. Swisher, Liban Jibril, Sarah Hurst Petrosko & Chad A. Mirkin

  3. Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA

    Liban Jibril & Chad A. Mirkin

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C.A.M., J.H.S., L.J. and S.H.P. wrote and edited the manuscript. J.H.S. and L.J. prepared the first drafts of the figures.

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Swisher, J.H., Jibril, L., Petrosko, S.H. et al. Nanoreactors for particle synthesis. Nat Rev Mater 7, 428–448 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41578-021-00402-z

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