Nanoparticles at air/water interfaces

Spreading of surfactant-coated metallic, semiconducting, magnetic and ferroelectric nanoparticles on water surfaces results in the formation of monoparticulate thick films which can be transferred, layer by layer, to solid substances. This technique of thin film formation, in turn, has led to advances in the formation of ultrathin films with potential applications in advanced electronic and electro-optical devices.