Strain-driven self-rolling of hybrid organic-inorganic microrolls: interfaces with self-assembled

Strain driven micro and nanoroll fabrication is generally restricted to multilayer and multiprocessing systems, limiting the ability to exploit self-organization at different length scales. We have designed a hybrid organic-inorganic single-layered film with a surface that responds selectively to external stimuli, resulting in mechanical strain and self-rolling in one-step fabrication. The scrolling is initiated by water and any aqueous solution of molecules or colloidal particles. During scrolling, the different species in solution remain entrapped in the rolls; the constrained environment at the interface of the roll walls pushes the particles to organize into ordered structures. We used this rolling process to create self-assembled hybrid films with well-ordered layers of gold nanoparticles and opals of polystyrene nanospheres. These films also respond selectively to solvents, allowing the easy release of molecules/particles entrapped at the interface. NPG Asia Materials (2012) 4, e22; doi: 10.1038/am.2012.40; published online 20 July 2012 RI Tokudome, Yasuaki/B-2895-2012; Takahashi, Masahide/C-3326-2009