One-Dimensional Self-Assembly of Alkoxy-Capped Silicon Nanoparticles

We demonstrate here a novel method for self-assembling in dimensional alignment the alkoxy-capped silicon nanoparticles synthesized through a room-temperature chemical route. The alkoxy-capped silicon nanoparticles were prepared via a reduction of silicon tetrachloride with sodium-naphthalide and subsequent surface capsulation with 1-octanol monolayers. In the present method, a sublimation process, which was employed as a final purification process for removing the residual naphthalene, influenced significantly on the final morphology of the resultant nanoparticles. Scanning transmission electron microscope (STEM) confirmed the spherical nanoparticles on a holey carbon grid after sublimation process, while only the fibril-like morphology just before sublimation process. In the former sample, the resultant particle size was measured by STEM to be about 9.5 nm ± 3.4 nm. On the other hand, in the latter sample, the fibril-like structures were shaped by self-assembled silicon nanoparticles in dimensional alignment. The diameters and lengths of the fibril-like assemblies were approximately measured to be 10 to 20 nm and over 5 m, respectively.