Abstract
AbstractArtificial materials from the self‐assembly of magnetic nanoparticles exhibit extraordinary collective properties; however, to date, the contribution of nanoscale magnetism to the mechanical properties of this class of materials is overlooked. Here, through a combination of Monte Carlo simulations and experimental magnetic measurements, this contribution is shown to be important in self‐assembled superstructures of magnetite nanocubes. By simulating the relaxation of interacting macrospins in the superstructure systems, the relationship between nanoscale magnetism, nanoparticle arrangement, superstructure size, and mechanical stability is established. For all considered systems, a significant enhancement in cohesive energy per nanocube (up to 45%), and thus in mechanical stability, is uncovered from the consideration of magnetism. Magnetic measurements fully support the simulations and confirm the strongly interacting character of the nanocube assembly. The studies also reveal a novel super‐size effect, whereby mechanically destabilization occurs through a decrease in cohesive energy per nanocube as the overall size (number of particles) of the system decreases. The discovery of this effect opens up new possibilities in size‐controlled tuning of superstructure properties, thus contributing to the design of next‐generation self‐assembled materials with simultaneous enhancement of magnetic and mechanical properties.
Highlights
Extraordinary collective properties; to date, the contribution of plasmonic,[10,11,12] catalytic,[10,13,14] elecnanoscale magnetism to the mechanical properties of this class of materials is overlooked
Experimental magnetic measurements indicated a system of strongly interacting magnetic particles, which remained superparamagnetic at room temperature, in excellent agreement with the Monte Carlo (MC) simulations
We established the relationship between nanoscale magnetism, NP arrangement, superstructure size and mechanical stability in the considered model system
Summary
Extraordinary collective properties; to date, the contribution of plasmonic,[10,11,12] catalytic,[10,13,14] elecnanoscale magnetism to the mechanical properties of this class of materials is overlooked. The studies reveal a novel super-size effect, whereby mechanically destabilization occurs through a decrease in cohesive energy per nanocube as the overall size (number of particles) of the system decreases. The discovery of this effect opens up new possibilities in size-controlled tuning of the nanoscale is a very complex process because of the interplay between intrinsic (interparticle interactions) and extrinsic (external stimuli) forces, progress has been made recently to better understand superstructure properties, contributing to the design of next-generation the underlying mechanisms behind selfself-assembled materials with simultaneous enhancement of magnetic and assembly of magnetic superstructures mechanical properties. Self-assembly assembling nanoscale building blocks of different sizes, shapes mechanisms involving magnetic NPs are becoming more and materials into highly ordered supercrystals, or superstruc- illuminated, properties of the postassembled magnetic supertures.[1,2,3,4,5] Such ordered self-assembled supercrystalline solids structure systems, especially how magnetism can be linked exhibit extraordinary collective properties resulting from the with mechanical properties, are yet to be investigated
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