An extremely rapid process for self-assembling well-ordered, nano, and microparticle monolayers via a novel aerosolized method is presented. The novel technique can reach monolayer self-assembly rates as high as 268 cm2 min-1 from a single aerosolizing source and methods to reach faster monolayer self-assembly rates are outlined. A new physical mechanism describing the self-assembly process is presented and new insights enabling high-efficiency nanoparticle monolayer self-assembly are developed. In addition, well-ordered monolayer arrays from particles of various sizes, surface functionality, and materials are fabricated. This new technique enables a 93× increase in monolayer self-assembly rates compared to the current state of the art and has the potential to provide an extremely low-cost option for submicron nanomanufacturing.
Keywords: colloids; metasurfaces; monolayer; nanolithography; nanopatterning; self-assembly.
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