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Published December 19, 2018 | v1
Journal Article Open

Solvent-Engineered Stress in Nanoscale Materials

Abstract

Nanoscale materials are frequently coated with surface stabilization layers during growth that prevent flocculation in solution and facilitate processing technologies such as ink-jet device printing. Here, we show that few-nanometer-thick stabilization layers typically used swell in the presence of certain solvents and impart significant stresses to the nanomaterial that remains even after the solvent has evaporated. Solvent swelling of the surface layer dramatically enhances nanomaterial–substrate adhesion via the collapse of the stabilization layer during solvent evaporation, preventing stress relaxation. We demonstrate the stress modulation of Ag, Au, and Si nanowires functionalised with surface polymers and surfactant layers and detect strain levels between 0.1 and 0.6% using atomic force microscopy mechanical measurement and Raman spectroscopy. Dry-transferred nanowires exhibit poor adhesion and show no evidence of incorporated stress but become stressed immediately following solvent exposure. Strain engineering is demonstrated by coating nanowires with few-nanometer-thick solvent-responsive polymer layers.

Copyright and License

© 2018 American Chemical Society.

Acknowledgement

This work was financially supported in part by a research grant from Science Foundation Ireland (12/IA/1482), the European Research Council under the Advanced Grant 321160, and through the generous support of the Naughton Foundation. We acknowledge support from the Australian Research Council Center of Excellence in Exciton Science (CE170100026) and the Australian Council grants scheme. J.F.C. and D.J.H. acknowledge support by the National Science Foundation (DMR-1555001). We would also like to thank the staff at the Advanced Microscopy Lab (AML) at Trinity College Dublin.

Conflict of Interest

The authors declare no competing financial interest.

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October 10, 2023
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October 10, 2023