Stretchable nanoparticle helical ribbons through asymmetric cross-sectional geometry

Helical objects are ubiquitous. From macroscopic plant tendrils to nanoscopic DNA, the geometry of a coiled helix is fundamentally interesting for its mechanical energy storage and tunable mechanical properties, like the spring stiffness. To create helices on micro- and nano- length scales, it is often necessary to have bilayer materials systems or chiral structures. However, we show in thin ribbons, where the thickness is on a similar order to the elastocapillary length, that having an asymmetric cross-sectional geometry can drive helical formation. We create long, nanoparticle-based ribbons using an evaporative assembly technique called flow coating, which produces non-rectangular cross-sections on the nanoscale. When released into water, interfacial tension balances with elasticity to form spring-like structures. These helical ribbons can be extended to high strains, show good shape recovery, and can display mechanical stiffness values ranging from 10-6 N/m at low strains to 10-2 N/m when highly stretched. In addition, the mechanical properties of these structures can be predictably tuned by controlling the ribbon dimensions or the material composition.