The Buckling Spectra of Nanoparticle Surfactant Assemblies

Fine control over the mechanical properties of thin sheets underpins transcytosis, cell shape, and morphogenesis. Applying these principles to artificial, liquid-based systems has led reconfigurable materials for soft robotics, actuation, chemical synthesis. However, progress is limited by a lack synthetic two-dimensional membranes that exhibit tunable comparable range seen in nature. Here, we show bending modulus, B, assemblies nanoparticle surfactants (NPSs) at oil–water interface can be varied continuously from sub-kBT 106 kBT, varying ligands particles comprise NPS. We find extensive departure continuum behavior, including enormous anisotropy power law relation between B buckling spectrum width. Our findings provide platform shape-changing liquid devices motivate new theories description thin-film wrinkling.