(433a) Optically Directed Mesoscale Assembly of Organic-Inorganic Hybrid Nanomaterials

Different desired characteristics of materials are often in conflict in materials design. For example, materials that have low density also have low mechanical strength, and vice versa. The fabrication of materials with high density/low Young’s modulus or low density/high Young’s modulus are important for applications such as flexible electronics. Assembling hybrid materials to combine the conflicting physical, chemical, mechanical, optical and electrical properties of pure components remains a major challenge in materials design. We intoroduce an optically directed method to synthesize new materials that are assembled from nanometer scale constituents into components, systems, or materials that are microns to millimeters in size. Optically-Directed Mesoscale Assembly and Patterning (ODMAP) is a recent Argonne-patented process that simultaneously assembles and patterns the nanoscale building blocks into novel mesoscale/macroscopic structures. The optically-directed methodology is used for the synthesis and patterning of hybrid materials such as those comprising organic (carbon) and inorganic (gold) nanoparticles (NPs). The new materials will provide functionality in the form of flexible, high conductivity, robust microcircuitry pertinent to a broad range of energy, sensory, diagnostic, and communications functions.