Self-assembly of metallic nanoparticles in a cholesteric liquid crystal

Metallic nanoparticle assemblies can be organized in accordance with the helical structure of the cholesteric liquid crystalline phase. The liquid crystals used having a glassy state, the nanostructures could be examined by transmission electron microscopy. The platinum nanoparticles form periodic ribbons which mimic the well-known fingerprint cholesteric texture. The nanoparticles do not decorate the texture but create a novel structure with a larger helical pitch. The distance between the ribbons is directly correlated to the cholesteric periodicity which therefore becomes a simple control parameter to tune the structuring of nanoparticles.