Bottom-Up Approach to Creating Three-Dimensional Nanoring Arrays Composed of Au Nanoparticles

Abstract

A bottom-up approach to creating 3D assemblies of Au nanorings by drying aqueous dispersions of PS colloidal particles and Au NPs is shown. The evaporation of water from the dispersion allowed for the formation of hexagonally assembled colloidal crystals and nanorings composed of Au nanoparticles among the PS colloidal particles. The size of the nanorings could be controlled on a scale of tens to hundreds of nanometers. After sintering, the Au NPs formed Au nanorings. This simple approach supplies a potentially useful path to novel plasmonic materials and unique metamaterials for the visible light region.