Facile method of fabricating Sn nanoparticle monolayer using solid-supported liquid-crystalline phospholipid membrane

1,2-dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphatidylcholine (DOPC) phospholipid membrane was used to fabricate a tightly packed 2-dimensional array of Sn nanoparticles through direct deposition of Sn on the DOPC membrane. Major advantage of the proposed method was that the vertical ordering of the nanoparticles extended to a centimeter (2 cm × 2 cm substrate) scale in the as-prepared state. It was also shown that the particle size and morphology were altered depending on processing conditions. Experimental evidences indicated that the Sn nanoparticle surface, which spontaneously oxidized during deposition, was encapsulated by the DOPC molecules. After removing the encapsulating lipid layer, the oxide-covered Sn nanoparticles exhibited strong photoluminescence. It was also demonstrated that the Sn particle morphology and ordering are related to the lipid membrane structure and chemistry. The proposed method can be easily extended to other metals that are susceptible to oxidation to produce various metal oxide nanoparticles.

Graphical abstractSummary: 1,2-dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphatidylcholine (DOPC) phospholipid membrane was used to fabricate a tightly packed 2-dimensional array of oxide-covered Sn nanoparticles through direct deposition of Sn on the DOPC membrane. The SnOx oxide shell was developed from the surface oxidation of the nanoparticle surface by the encapsulating DOPC molecules.Download full-size imageHighlights► Phospholipid membrane was used to fabricate oxide-covered Sn nanoparticle monolayer. ► The oxide shell developed from the surface oxidation by the encapsulating lipids. ► Sn nanoparticle monolayer was formed on top of the lipid membrane. ► Sn nanoparticle monolayer exhibited photoluminescence after plasma etching.