Publication date: 21st July 2025
The design of dendrimers and pro-mesogenic ligands enables new strategies to create nanocrystals (NC) liquid crystal hybrids. The use of these supramolecular ligands systems can direct the assembly of nanocrystals (NCs) is to 3 dimensionally ordered superlattices allowing multicomponent and the multiscale organization of nanocrystals (NCs) with controlled composition, size, and shape. These NCs, acting as 'artificial atoms' with tunable electronic, optical, and magnetic properties, pave the way for the development of a new periodic nanomaterials. The resulting superlattices are ideal building blocks for incorporation into new thin films, and integrated devices. The scalability of this process ensures its feasibility for large-scale applications. It is possible to control the formation and phase transformations in deposited NC superlattices by adjusting the thermal energy of a nanocrystal dispersion. These structural changes can allow the solids to anneal an improve their organization post-deposition. The modular assembly of these NCs allows the desirable features of the underlying quantum phenomena to be captured stimuli-responsive thin films.