Self-assembly of defined core–shell ellipsoidal particles at liquid interfaces

Abstract

Pure ellipsoidal particles without a shell consistently form side-to-side "chain-like" assemblies, regardless of aspect ratio. In contrast, core-shell ellipsoidal particles exhibit a transition from tip-to-tip "flower-like" arrangements to side-to-side structures as aspect ratio increases. The critical aspect ratio for this transition shifts with increasing shell thickness. Our results highlight how we can engineer the self-assembly of anisotropic particles at liquid interfaces by tuning their physicochemical properties such as aspect ratio and shell thickness, allowing the deterministic realization of distinct structural configurations.