Porous metal thin films have high potential for use in applications such as catalysis, electrical contacts, plasmonics, as well as energy storage and conversion. Structuring metal thin films on the nanoscale to generate high surface areas poses an interesting challenge as metals have high surface energy. In this communication, we demonstrate direct access to nanostructured metal nanoparticle hybrid thin films with high nanoparticle loadings through spin coating of a mixture of block copolymer and ligand stabilized platinum and palladium nanoparticles. Plasma cleaning to remove the organics results in a conductive metal thin film. We expect that the methods described here can be generalized to other metals, mixtures of metal nanoparticles, and intermetallics.
We present a computer study of the association behavior of copolymer chains with a gradient part and soluble tail of variable length. As a simulation method we use dynamic Monte Carlo simulation on a simple cubic lattice with pair interaction parameters. The solvent quality and selectivity is modeled by the variation of pair interaction parameters between nearest neighbors on the lattice. The role of the length of soluble part in the self‐assembly and its effect on the structure of aggregates was the main goal of this work. The size and structure of aggregates were analyzed using an improved topological classification method which has been developed and tested in the present study. The structure and association numbers of aggregates were compared with those of linear diblock copolymers.
Polymer‐encapsulated silver nanoparticles were synthesized and sterically stabilized by a new core‐shell type system consisting of poly(S‐alt‐MA)‐graft‐PMMA copolymer that acts as a scaffold for the synthesis of size confined nanoparticles. The graft copolymer is synthesized via ambient temperature ATRP using the CuBr/PMDETA catalytic system at ambient temperature. The graft copolymer is hypothesized to function as a scaffold with the anhydride part interacting strongly with the silver ions, while the PMMA graft functions as a polymer brush that stabilizes the dispersion and prevents the particle aggregation due to a ‘polymer brush effect’. UV absorption and TEM studies confirm that the synthesized silver composite particles have a core‐shell structure.
Functionalizing and controlling nanostructures resulting from block copolymer self‐assembly are key factors in defining their application. In this work, a simple but quite general route to achieve both goals simultaneously is discussed. In thin films of polystyrene‐block‐poly(vinyl pyridine) (PS‐b‐PVP) with small concentrations of a gold salt, the salt is found to complex with the PVP block which leads to an orientation of the microdomains normal to the surface after solvent annealing together with functionalization. By increasing the amount of gold salt, on the other hand, micelles are found to form in solutions leading to a range of different morphologies in the thin films.
A simple approach to improve the structural ordering in block copolymer/nanoparticle nanocomposites is presented. It is to blend a small molecular weight homopolymer with the composites, which can uniformly swell the preferred domain where the nanoparticles locate and increase the conformational entropy of the domain. Consequently, the interfaces between the block copolymer domains become smooth that improves the long range order in the nanocomposites. Furthermore, the uniform swelling of the preferred domain by the homopolymer will allow higher loading of nanoparticles without adversely affecting the long range order.
Summary: Dissipative particle dynamics simulation was performed to study the formation of multicompartment micelles from ABC star triblock copolymers in water. The study revealed some new morphologies that had not been observed before and also provided a direct visualization of the evolution of wormlike multicompartment micelles that follows the fusion process. Thus, this work provides molecular understanding of multicompartment micelles which will be useful for the future rational synthesis of novel micelles.
Multicompartment micelles formed from ABC star triblock copolymers in water by DPD simulations. 相似文献
Magnetic nanomaterials have been studied in order to generate novel nanocomposites that display both the magnetic properties of the nanoparticles and the ability to self‐assemble of the amorphous block copolymer matrix. Towards this goal, iron oxide magnetic nanoparticles have been modified with PS brushes by ATRP in order to improve both the dispersion and the affinity of the nanoparticles with one of the blocks of a polystyrene‐block‐polybutadiene‐block‐polystyrene block copolymer. This method of preparation of nanocomposites opens new strategies for the generation of magnetic nanomaterials. The samples are characterized using DSC and atomic and magnetic force microscopies.
We have systematically studied the thin film morphologies of asymmetric polystyrene‐block‐poly(ethylene oxide) (PS‐b‐PEO) diblock copolymer subjected to solvent vapors of varying selectivity for the constituent blocks. Upon a short treatment in neutral or PS‐selective vapor, the film exhibited a highly ordered array of hexagonally packed, cylindrical microdomains. In the case of PEO selective vapor annealing, such ordered cylindrical microdomains were not obtained. Instead, fractal patterns on the microscale were observed and their growth processes investigated. Furthermore, hierarchical structures could be obtained if the fractal pattern was exposed to neutral or PS selective vapor.
A novel well‐defined amphiphilic block copolymer, with the polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (POSS) moiety at the junction of the two blocks of polystyrene and poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO), was designed and synthesized. First, a macroinitiator containing a POSS moiety and a PEO chain was prepared and then atom transfer radical polymerization of styrene was carried out in the presence of the macroinitiator in bulk. The polymerization results show that the process bears the characteristics of controlled/living free radical polymerizations. The structure and molecular weight of the polymers were characterized by GPC, 1H NMR, and FT‐IR spectroscopy. The self‐assembly behaviors of the polymers was investigated by TEM and SEM. It was observed that the polymers can self‐assemble into vesicles in aqueous solution.
The free volume (voids) distribution in the lamellae of the conventional symmetric and amphiphilic diblock copolymers is studied via Monte–Carlo simulation based on the standard bond fluctuation model. Both in the conventional and amphiphilic block copolymers the voids are found to concentrate on the interfaces between the incompatible units, the magnitude of the effect being unexpectedly significant. A crystalline‐like ordering of voids with increase of the incompatibility between the different repeated units in amphiphilic copolymers is first reported and implications of this peculiarity for the morphology and mechanical properties of the amphiphilic copolymers are discussed.
The mixed Langmuir monolayers and Langmuir–Blodgett (LB) films of homo‐polystyrene (h‐PS) and the diblock copolymer polystyrene‐block‐poly(2‐vinylpyridine) (PS‐b‐P2VP) have been characterized by the Langmuir monolayer technique and tapping mode atomic force microscopy (AFM), respectively. When the content of h‐PS is below 80 wt.‐%, the mixed LB films of h‐PS/PS‐b‐P2VP mainly exhibit isolated circular nanoaggregates. With a further increase of the h‐PS content (80–95%), however, highly uniform and stable necklace‐network structures are observed in the mixed LB films.
A novel amphiphilic diblock copolymer composed of a hydrophilic poly(ethylene oxide) block and a hydrophobic block copolymerized by azobenzene‐containing methacrylate and N‐isopropylacrylamide was synthesized using ATRP. The polymer micelles showed dual responsiveness to heat and light. The size of the micelles was dependent on temperature and the encapsulated substance in the hydrophobic cores was released during heating and cooling processes. The hydrophobicity of the micellar cores appeared as a reversible change in response to light with neither disruption of the micelles nor leakage of the encapsulated substance while H‐aggregation of the azobenzene moieties was detected.
Layer‐by‐layer (LBL) films consisting of layers of the azo dye Sunset Yellow alternated with chitosan display spontaneous birefringence, which is attributed to the film anisotropy imparted by the LBL method. This is unusual for azobenzene‐containing materials as they normally form films with randomly oriented molecules, presenting birefringence only due to photoinduced isomerization cycles. Spontaneous birefringence does not appear in cast films, but occurs for LBL films obtained under various experimental conditions.
Chemical structures of (a) Sunset Yellow and (b) chitosan. 相似文献
We study a coarse grained model of cylinder forming diblock copolymers and nano‐particles (NPs) mixture confined between Lennard–Jones hard walls. Two models for non‐selective interactions between monomers and NPs are applied. In the case of purely repulsive interactions between NPs and monomers (athermal case) strong segregation of NPs at the film surfaces and the formation of droplets of particles inside the copolymer film can be observed. For weakly attractive interactions between NPs and monomers (thermal case) formation of droplets of particles disappears and segregation on the film surfaces depend on temperature. The uptake of NPs by the copolymer film in the thermal case displays a non‐monotonic dependence on temperature which can be qualitatively explained by a mean‐field model. In both cases of non‐selective interactions NPs are preferentially localized at the interface between the microphase domains.
Chemoselective stepwise coupling between living polymers and a heterobifunctional linking agent is shown to be a versatile, facile, and efficient methodology for block copolymer synthesis. This protocol is based on the quantitative formation of the end‐functionalized precursor in the first coupling step. In this proof‐of‐concept study, we investigate the behavior of specific macroanions, prepared through living anionic polymerization (LAP). Nevertheless, the applicability range is becoming exceptionally wide upon transformation reactions, e.g., by tailoring the chain‐termini nucleophilicity via endcapping. This novel protocol will considerably expand the limits of LAP, rendering viable the construction of advanced and tailor‐made materials via an effortless pathway.
Future advances in designing bioactive materials, such as antithrombotic coatings for cardiovascular stents, will require widely applicable and robust methods of surface modification. In this paper, we report on the development of multifunctional polymer coatings made by chemical vapor deposition (CVD) copolymerization. Polymer coatings of various [2.2]paracyclophane derivatives were co‐deposited in controlled ratios and their chemical composition verified by FT‐IR and X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Furthermore, preliminary biocompatibility of these coatings was assessed using human umbilical vein endothelial cells and 3T3 murine fibroblasts. The parallel immobilization of two different antithrombotic biomolecules onto a CVD‐based copolymer is also demonstrated by orthogonal immobilization strategies.
Furan ring‐functionalized solid surfaces are achieved by the initiated chemical vapor deposition (iCVD) method, a solvent‐free process to form films under mild conditions. The polymerization of furfuryl methacrylate monomer is initiated by a resistively heated filament wire. The functionality of the furan group in the iCVD film enabled Diels–Alder chemistry with 4‐phenyl‐1,2,3‐triazolin‐3,5‐dione (N‐PTD).
Nonlinear optical vinyl polymers with high glass transition temperature (Tg) were prepared by the functionalization of a fluorinated acrylate‐methyl vinyl isocyanate copolymer. A modified pathway to obtain a thiophene bridged chromophore was worked out. Poled films of the polymers show a fairly high and stable nonlinear optical response, even at elevated temperatures.
The thiophene‐bridged chromophore, based on a substituted dicyanomethylene‐dihydrofuran acceptor, synthesized here. 相似文献
