The Ligand–Surface Interface and Its Influence on Nanoparticle Properties

RecommendationsC olloidal nanoparticles of semiconductors, metals, mag- nets, and other functional materials have been actively researched for several decades by both academic and industrial scientists and engineers.Colloidal nanoparticles offer insights into the peculiarities of nucleation and growth and the reactivity of surfaces, while the industry sees in nanoparticles a unique opportunity to combine functionalities typical for inorganic solids with structural flexibility and processability of polymers.Central to both of these pursuits is the interface between the inorganic nanoparticle core and the surface ligands that are covalently or electrostatically bound to the core surface (Figure 1).These surface ligands are integral