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Controlled synthesis of materials with specified atomic structures underpins technological advances yet remains reliant on iterative, trial-and-error approaches. Nanoparticles (NPs), whose atomic arrangement dictates their emergent…
Co-assembly of inorganic nanoparticles (NPs) and nanostructured polymer matrix represents an intricate interplay of enthalpic or entropic forces. Particle size largely affects the phase behavior of the nanocomposite. Theoretical studies…
Aluminum alloys, the most widely utilized lightweight structural materials, predominantly depend on coherent complex-structured nano-plates to enhance their mechanical properties. Despite several decades of research, the atomic-scale…
Using Monte Carlo simulations, we investigate the self-assembly of model nanoparticles inside a matrix of model equilibrium polymers (or matrix of Wormlike micelles) as a function of the polymeric matrix density and the excluded volume…
The physical and chemical properties of metal nanoparticles differ significantly from those of free metal atoms as well as from the properties of bulk metals, and therefore, they may be viewed as a transition regime between the two physical…
Living and engineered systems rely on the stable coexistence of two interspersed liquid phases. Yet surface tension drives their complete separation. Here we show that stable droplets of uniform and tuneable size can be produced through…
Associative polymers (APs) with reversible, specific interactions between ``sticker'' sites exhibit a phase behavior that depends on a delicate balance between distinct contributions controlling the binding. For highly-bonded systems, it is…
The use of polymer nanocomposites as gas barrier materials has seen increasing interest, including applications involving hydrogen transport and storage. Better understanding of gas transport through those polymeric systems requires 3D…
Polyacrylonitrile (PAN) is an important commercial polymer, bearing atactic stereochemistry resulting from nonselective radical polymerization. As such, an accurate, fundamental understanding of governing interactions among PAN molecular…
Atomic-resolution imaging with scanning transmission electron microscopy is a powerful tool for characterizing the nanoscale structure of materials, in particular features such as defects, local strains, and symmetry-breaking distortions.…
We report on the structural properties of mixed aggregates made from rare-earth inorganic nanoparticles (radius 20 Angstroms) and polyelectrolyte-neutral block copolymers in aqueous solutions. Using scattering experiments and Monte Carlo…
Understanding and controlling physical aging, i.e. the spontaneous temporal evolution of out-of-equilibrium systems, represents one of the greatest tasks in material science. Recent studies have revealed the existence of a complex atomic…
Self-assembly processes provide the means to achieve scalable and versatile metamaterials by "bottom-up" fabrication. Despite their enormous potential, especially as a platform for energy materials, self-assembled metamaterials are often…
Experiments have reached a monumental capacity for designing and synthesizing microscopic particles for self-assembly, making it possible to precisely control particle concentrations, shapes, and interactions. However, more physical insight…
Scanning tunneling microscope (STM) has presented a revolutionary methodology to the nanoscience and nanotechnology. It enables imaging the topography of surfaces, mapping the distribution of electronic density of states, and manipulating…
We propose and analyze a scheme to interface individual neutral atoms with nanoscale solid-state systems. The interface is enabled by optically trapping the atom via the strong near-field generated by a sharp metallic nanotip. We show that…
Magnetic impurities on superconductors present a viable platform for building advanced applications in quantum technologies. However, a controlled manipulation of their quantum states continues to pose a significant challenge, hindering the…
The thermosensitive behavior of microgel particles suspended in solvents, i.e. their temperature-dependent swelling properties, has triggered ongoing interest in industry and academia over the past forty years. The most-studied polymer is…
Targeting specific technological applications requires the control of nanoparticle properties, especially the crystalline polymorph. Freezing a nanodroplet deposited on a solid substrate leads to the formation of crystalline structures. We…
Crystallization from an amorphous atomic structure is usually seen as a spontaneous process in pursuit of a lower energy state, but for alloy systems it is often hard to elucidate because of the intrinsic structural and compositional…