Time evolution of size and polydispersity of an ensemble of nanoparticles growing in the confined space of AOT reversed micelles by computer simulations

Abstract

The time dependence of size and polydispersity of an ensemble of nanoparticles growing in the confined space of water-containing AOT reversed micelles has been investigated by computer simulations. It has been found that, in a wide time range, the mean nanoparticle size can be described by power laws whose exponent is critically dependent on the efficiency of the intermicellar material exchange process while the nanoparticle polydispersity increases with time. From the analysis of all the disentangled effects arising from the variation of internal and external parameters provided by simulations, useful suggestions for a better and rationale control of the nanoparticle synthetic procedure are achieved.