Diverse Nanoassemblies of Graphene Quantum Dots and Their Mineralogical Counterparts.

Angew Chem Int Ed Engl

Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA.

Published: May 2020

AI Article Synopsis

  • Complex structures formed from nanoparticles are present in various natural environments, but their formation mechanisms are not well understood, leading to debates about their origins.
  • The study reveals that graphene quantum dots (GQDs) can self-assemble into various structures based on interactions with environmental metal ions like Fe and Al, influencing their arrangement.
  • This research sheds light on the dynamic role of nanoparticles in rock formation, showing that such interactions can result in intricate mineralized structures not previously recognized.

Article Abstract

Complex structures from nanoparticles are found in rocks, soils, and sea sediments but the mechanisms of their formation are poorly understood, which causes controversial conclusions about their genesis. Here we show that graphene quantum dots (GQDs) can assemble into complex structures driven by coordination interactions with metal ions commonly present in environment and serve a special role in Earth's history, such as Fe and Al . GQDs self-assemble into mesoscale chains, sheets, supraparticles, nanoshells, and nanostars. Specific assembly patterns are determined by the effective symmetry of the GQDs when forming the coordination assemblies with the metal ions. As such, maximization of the electronic delocalization of π-orbitals of GQDs with Fe leads to GQD-Fe-GQD units with D symmetry, dipolar bonding potential, and linear assemblies. Taking advantage of high electron microscopy contrast of carbonaceous nanostructures in respect to ceramic background, the mineralogical counterparts of GQD assemblies are found in mineraloid shungite. These findings provide insight into nanoparticle dynamics during the rock formation that can lead to mineralized structures of unexpectedly high complexity.

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http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/anie.201908216DOI Listing

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