Structural diversity in binary nanoparticle superlattices

The assembly of nanoparticles of two different materials into a binary nanoparticle superlattice is a promising way of synthesizing a large variety of materials (metamaterials) with precisely controlled chemical composition and tight placement of the components. In theory only a few stable binary superlattice structures can assemble from hard spheres, potentially limiting this approach. But all is not lost because at the nanometre scale there are additional forces (electrostatic, van der Waals and dipolar) that can stabilize binary nanoparticulate structures. Shevchenko et al. now report the synthesis of a dozen novel structures from various combinations of metal, semiconductor, magnetic and dielectric nanoparticles. This demonstrates the potential of self-assembly in designing families of novel materials and metamaterials with programmable physical and chemical properties.