How do you turn nanoparticles of different shapes into precisely organized 3D architectures? In collaboration with the Soft Condensed Matter & Biophysics research group, Marianne, Jessi, and co-authors have investigated how gold (Au) nanospheres and titanium dioxide (TiO₂) nanorods self-assemble into ordered 3D spherical assemblies, called supraparticles. By tuning the ratio of Au spheres to TiO₂ rods, different particle arrangement formed, ranging from single layers of rods to alternating layers of rods and spheres, as confirmed with advanced microscopy techniques and numerical simulations. We expect these novel nanoparticle structures to be relevant for applications in photocatalysis and sensing.

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