Hierarchical manipulation of uniform multi-nanoparticles by electrochemical coupling assembly

Abstract

Assembling multiple nanomaterials into a single nanostructure is a promising way to obtain a multifunctionality derived from each building block. We address here the need for a general all-solution processed strategy to control the fabrication of multiple nanoparticles (NPs) at room temperature and under vacuum free conditions. The monodisperse multiple NPs were integrated successively into thin bulk-hybrid gradient or periodic tandem multilayer films through tuning the cycling number of cyclic voltammetry (CV), which are based on the quantitatively electrochemical deposition of each type of NPs thanks to the electrochemical coupling reaction of the N-alkylcarbazole ligand. This simple method yields nanoporous, transparent, stable and photoactive films with a hierarchical structure of multiple uniform NPs, exemplified by the prototype photodetector devices. Significantly, this strategy opens an avenue to fabricate low-cost wire and 3-dimensional NPs films on physically flexible conducting substrates.