Porous thin films based on photo-cross-linked star-shaped poly(D,L-lactide)s

Self-assembly processes and subsequent photo-cross-linking were used to generate cross-linked, ordered microporous structures on the surfaces of well defined four-arm star-shaped poly(D,L-lactide) (PDLLA) thin films. The four-arm star-shaped PDLLAs were synthesized using an ethoxylated pentaerythritol initiator. Solutions of the PDLLAs were cast in a humid environment, and upon solvent evaporation, ordered honeycomb structures (or breath figures) were obtained. Correlations between molar mass, polymer solution viscosity, and pore dimensions were established. The average pore dimension decreased with increasing polymer solution concentration, and a linear relationship was observed between relative humidity and average pore dimensions. Highly ordered microporous structures were also developed on four-arm star-shaped methacrylate-modified PDLLA (PDLLA-UM) thin films. Subsequent photo-cross-linking resulted in more stable PDLLA porous films. The photo-cross-linked films were insoluble, and the honeycomb structures were retained despite solvent exposure. Free-standing, structured PDLLA-UM thin films were obtained upon drying for 24 h. Ordered microporous films based on biocompatible and biodegradable polymers, such as PDLLA, offer potential applications in biosensing and biomedical applications.     

Breath figure templated self-assembly of surface-acylated cellulose nanowhiskers confined as honeycomb films

Cellulose - The self-assembly of cellulose nanowhiskers (CNWs) in confined geometries provides a powerful method for the fabrication of novel structures. Herein, ordered honeycomb microporous films...     

Self-organization of polystyrenes into ordered microstructured films and their replication by soft lithography

We report on the formation of ordered arrays of micrometric holes on the surface of polystyrene (PS) films cast from volatile solvents in the presence of humidity at different temperatures. The formation mechanism is investigated for PS having different molecular weights, polydispersities, and carboxylic terminations. Among the chosen materials, a highly regular honeycomb microstructured morphology is obtained on the surface of films prepared with dicarboxy-terminated PS with = 100,000. Experiments and observations on film formation indicate that polar groups are playing a fundamental role in this process. Tuning the surface tension by means of polar terminations allows the film morphology to be modified and in particular the preparation of two- or three-dimensional microstructured films. Finally, we show how these structures can be replicated by soft lithography and then used in the fields of photonic crystals and organic electronics.     

Self-organized polymer nanocomposite inverse opal films with combined optical properties

Inverse opal films with unique optical properties have potential as photonic crystal materials and have stimulated wide interest in recent years. Herein, iridescent hybrid polystyrene/nanoparticle macroporous films have been prepared by using the breath‐figure method. The honeycomb‐patterned thin films were prepared by casting gold nanoparticle‐doped polystyrene solutions in chloroform at high relative humidity. Highly ordered hexagonal arrays of monodisperse pores with an average diameter of 880 nm are obtained. To account for the observed features, a microscopic phase separation of gold nanoparticles is proposed to occur in the breath‐figure formation. That is, individual gold nanoparticles adsorb at the solution/water interface and effectively stabilize condensed water droplets on the solution surface in a hexagonal array. Alternatively, at high nanoparticle concentrations the combination of breath‐figure formation and nanoparticle phase separation leads to hierarchical structures with spherical aggregates under a honeycomb monolayer. The films show large features in both the visible and NIR regions that are attributed to a combination of nanoparticle and ordered‐array absorptions. Organic ligand‐stabilized CdSe/CdS quantum dots or Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles may be loaded into the honeycomb structure to further modify the films. These results demonstrate new methods for the fabrication and functionalization of inverse opal films with potential applications in photonic and microelectronic materials.     

Macroporous honeycomb films of surfactant-encapsulated polyoxometalates at air/water interface and their electrochemical properties

A series of surfactant-encapsulated polyoxometalates which have different compositions, shapes, and sizes, are able to self-assemble to the highly ordered honeycomb-structured macroporous films at the air/water interface without any extra moist airflow across the solution surface. The honeycomb film pores in the average diameter of 2-3 μm are obtained, which are independent of the polyoxometalates. It is speculated that the cooled micrometer water droplets act as the necessary templates for the formation of macropores, and the stability of these water droplets is crucial during the self-assembly. With increasing the concentration of surfactants, various morphologies from lowly ordered honeycomb films to highly ordered honeycomb films and then to disordered fragments can be modulated. The interfacial tension between chloroform solution and water droplets induces the changes of films. High-resolution TEM observations indicate a close-packed lamellar structure in the ordered honeycomb film walls. The self-assembly successfully performs the transfer of functional polyoxometalates from bulk solutions to interfacial films. Consequently, the produced honeycomb films present electronic activities, such as ferromagnetism and electrochemical properties. These detailed researches will enrich the studies based on materials obtained by encapsulations in cationic surfactants to construct newly nanostructures of polyoxometalates at interfaces, and promote the potential applications of the honeycomb films of surfactant-encapsulated polyoxometalates in advanced materials.     

利用呼吸图案法制备聚(苯乙烯-b-丙烯腈)有序多孔薄膜

以自制的聚(苯乙烯-b-丙烯腈)(PS-b-PAN)嵌段共聚物为成膜材料, 采用呼吸图案法制备了有序多孔薄膜, 采用扫描电子显微镜(SEM)对薄膜形貌进行了分析, 研究了聚合物浓度、溶剂种类及共聚物结构对薄膜结构的影响. 结果表明, 薄膜表层为多孔结构, 且孔为圆形、以六方阵列形式排列; 薄膜表层下面是蜂窝状结构.以三氯甲烷(CHCl₃)为溶剂时, 在较高浓度下制备的薄膜表层孔间距较大, 蜂窝结构尺寸较小, 且形成了多层结构. 与CHCl₃为溶剂时相比, 挥发速度较快的二硫化碳(CS₂)作溶剂时制备的多孔薄膜有序性较好, 薄膜表层孔径和孔间距均较大, 蜂窝结构尺寸较小. 以没有PAN链段的聚苯乙烯大分子引发剂(PS-Cl)为成膜材料时, 制备的薄膜表层没有形成多孔结构, 而是形成了窝状结构. 同时, 通过对薄膜表层晕的研究证明了多孔薄膜表层缺陷是由水滴处于液膜下较深的位置造成的.     

甲醇气氛静态呼吸图法制备蜂窝状有序多孔膜

以原子转移自由基聚合方法合成的聚二甲基硅氧烷-b-聚苯乙烯(PDMS-b-PS)为铸膜材料,在静态呼吸图的基础上,首次在甲醇氛围下利用PDMS-b-PS的二硫化碳溶液铸膜得到了高度规整的蜂窝状有序多孔结构.研究了聚合物溶液浓度对孔径的影响,并与水蒸汽氛围制备的孔结构进行了比较.结果表明,甲醇气氛下制备的多孔膜的孔径比水蒸汽氛围下的大,且孔的断面形貌呈“U”形;孔径随着溶液浓度的增大而减小.该研究有利于呼吸图法制备有序结构材料技术的进一步发展,有助于人们更加准确与全面地认识呼吸图机理.     

自组装方法制备有序微孔薄膜

本文对近年来自组装方法制备有序微孔薄膜的研究进行了综述,总结了固体基板展开法制备有序微孔薄膜的形成机理,对成膜材料,成膜的影响因素和微孔阵列排列的形成条件等方面进行了详细的介绍和分析,并对自组装方法制备微孔薄膜的应用前景作了探讨。     

Enhancement of photocurrent generation by honeycomb structures in organic thin films.

A light-emitting poly (distyryldimethylbenzene-co-triethylene glycol) rod-coil block copolymer was used to fabricate films with three-dimensionally ordered honeycomb structures by the breath-figure method. Photocurrent generation and photovoltaic performance are studied, and the dependence of photocurrent on applied electric field is investigated. Introducing the ordered porous structure significantly improves the photoelectric conversion behavior, because porous structures not only enhance the light-harvesting efficiency but also benefit charge separation and charge transfer. This phenomenon may have great prospects for enhancing the photovoltaic behavior of organic thin-film devices.     

Surface orientation of 3,4,5-tris-substituted benzoic acid amphiphiles

Regarding the molecular orientation on flat substrates, thin films have been studied of a series of wedge-shaped molecules (3,4,5-tris-substituted benzoate-benzo crown ether compounds) consisting of a hydrophobic outer rim and a polar group at the thin end which form columnar mesomorphic and crystalline structures. For most substrates studied here, autophobic dewetting is demonstrated to be caused by the formation of a monomolecular adlayer in which the molecules are oriented normal to the substrate surface with the hydrophobic tails directed away from the substrate. For thick films, this adlayer is shown to cause an "in-plane" orientation of the axis of the columnar state. An ordered in-plane oriented adlayer is observed only for highly ordered pyrolytic graphite as the substrate. In this case, specific interactions with the substrate cause formation of a well-ordered 2D pattern that might favor homeotropic orientation of the columnar structures but has to be optimized by further structural variation. The structure of the adsorbed monolayer is elucidated by combining contact angle measurements, plasmon resonance spectroscopy, and optical and scanning tunneling microscopy.     

聚苯乙烯-嵌段-聚丁二烯有序多孔膜在可收缩膜上的形变研究和光学性质

利用溶剂散逸自组装法在潮湿的条件下,制备了聚苯乙烯-聚丁二烯嵌段聚合物（PS-b-PB）有序多孔膜。 利用聚乙烯可收缩膜将PS-b-PB多孔膜进行两次收缩,形成小孔径的有序多孔膜。 通过收缩,膜上的孔由圆形变为长方形或者梭形,孔的尺寸从微米级收缩至亚微米级。 利用扫描电子显微镜对膜收缩过程中2种形状产生的机理进行了研究。 结果表明,PS-b-PB结合了聚苯乙烯（PS）和聚丁二烯（PB）两个均聚物的优点,收缩后仍然保持膜结构的平整性,从而将不可见的热场变化转变为可见的光学变化。     

正十八烷醇在HOPG上形成自组装膜的吸附特性

研究了正十八烷醇在高定向热解石墨(HOPG)上形成自组装膜的吸附特性, 正十八烷醇在室温下从溶液中吸附至HOPG上形成整齐定向排列的单层自组装膜. 通过扫描隧道显微镜(STM)、接触角测量和X射线光电子能谱(XPS)分析了正十八烷醇单层自组装膜在HOPG上的结构. 实验结果表明, 正十八烷醇自组装膜在基底上成平铺或直立形态, 由于分子在基底上覆盖程度的不同, 会导致它在基底上排列的方式有所不同.     

Effect of layer integrity of spin self-assembled multilayer films on surface wettability

We investigated the correlation between surface wettability and internal structure of polyelectrolyte (PE)/PE and PE/inorganic multilayer films prepared by the spin self-assembly (SA) method. Spin self-assembled poly(allylamine hydrochloride) (PAH)/poly(sodium 4-styrenesulfonate) (PSS) multilayer films deposited from PE solutions of 10 mM show the distinct oscillation in contact angles with variation of the outermost PE layer, representing the saturated values in contact angles of individual PAH and PSS layers. These contact angles are also well consistent with the angles measured from respective PE layers (i.e., PAH and PSS) of the spin SA (PAH/CdS-COO-) and (CdS-NH3+/PSS) films carrying the flat interface between PE and inorganic CdS nanoparticle layers as confirmed by X-ray reflectivity. Furthermore, based on the contact angle of CdS-NH3+ layer in the ordered (CdS-NH3+/PSS) films, the change in surface wettability of CdS-NH3+ layers of two different spin SA (CdS-NH3+/poly(methacrylic acid) (PMAA)) multilayer films with ordered and disordered internal structure is also investigated. The films with ordered and disordered internal structure were fabricated by the pH adjustment of PMAA. The CdS-NH3+ layer in both CdS-NH3+/PSS and CdS-NH3+/PMAA multilayer films with the ordered internal structure has the contact angle of about 25 +/- 2 degrees irrespective of the PSS or PMAA sublayer. As a result, the same surface wettability of PE or inorganic layers, despite different sublayers, strongly indicates that the spin SA method in optimum condition allows the top surface to be completely covered with a low level ofinterdigitation with a sublayer at each deposition step, and this leads to the conclusion that physical and chemical characteristics of the sublayers have no significant influence on those of the outermost layer.     

Supra-assembly of siliceous vesicles

We report a new approach to produce macroporous ( approximately 110 nm in diameter) ordered siliceous foams (MOSF) by using block copolymers as templates in the absence of any organic cosolvent. The fine three-dimensional honeycomb structure of MOSF was determined by electron tomography. A formation mechanism of MOSF that spans from the atomic to macroscopic scale is proposed, which involves the cooperative self-assembly of unilamellar vesicles followed by the supra-assembly of vesicles. The fusion of soft vesicles finally leads to MOSF with well-ordered and defined honeycomb structures.     

Ordered honeycomb-structured gold nanoparticle films with changeable pore morphology: from circle to ellipse

Two-dimensionally ordered honeycomb structures have been prepared on dodecanethiol-capped gold nanoparticle films by blowing moist air across the surface of the nanoparticle solution. The pore morphology can be altered from circle to ellipse with tunable aspect ratios by carefully controlling the direction and velocity of airflow. The formation mechanisms of different surface morphologies have been discussed in terms of the surface and interfacial tension.     

Thermo‐responsive glycopolymer chains grafted onto honeycomb structured porous films via RAFT polymerization as a thermo‐dependent switcher for lectin Concanavalin a conjugation

Stable and surface‐modified films with regular porous arrays were created by crosslinking honeycomb structured porous films prepared via breath figures from poly(styrene‐co‐maleic anhydride). The formation of open or closed pores of the films was controlled by the addition of a polyion complex. Subsequent crosslinking of the films with 1,8‐diaminooctane led to films, which maintain their structure in solvents. In addition, excess amino functionality after crosslinking allowed the attachment of RAFT agent, 3‐benzylsulfanyl thiocarbonyl sulfanylpropionic acid, for the controlled surface polymerization of N‐isopropyl acrylamide (NIPAAm) and N‐acryloyl glucosamine (AGA). The attachment of thermo‐responsive glycopolymers onto the honeycomb structured porous films was confirmed using contact angle measurements and confocal fluorescence microscopy. Cleavage of surface anchored polymers via aminolysis revealed that the molecular weights of the surface grafted chains are significantly larger than the molecular weight of the chains generated in solution. The honeycomb structured porous films with their grafted PNIPAAm‐ran‐PAGA polymer chains showed selective recognition of Concanavalin A (ConA). Below the lower critical solution temperature (LCST) of the surface, the conjugation is switched off, while above the LCST the surface grafted glucose moieties bind strongly to ConA. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 48: 3440–3455, 2010     

智能蜂窝状有序多孔薄膜：体系构建、响应性能及应用探索

蜂窝状有序多孔膜是一种典型的具有微、纳米尺寸的图案化高分子薄膜材料,在超疏水表面、光电材料、组织工程、生物医学、传感器等领域都具有良好的应用前景。表面形貌或性质具有可逆刺激响应特性的智能型多孔膜不仅拥有常规多孔膜的性能,而且还拥有独特的"开-关"功能,因此受到广泛关注。本文回顾了智能有序多孔膜近年的研究进展,重点对其体系构建、响应方式、机理、性能和相关应用进行了归纳与分析,评述了不同刺激响应多孔膜的特点及优劣势,探讨了智能多孔膜的优化设计及提高响应性能等问题,指出了目前面临的挑战,并展望了未来的发展方向。     

水蒸汽辅助法制备PLLGA蜂窝状多孔膜

以疏水性高分子L-丙交酯-乙交酯共聚物（PLLGA）为膜材质,以十二烷基硫酸钠为添加剂,在高湿度气氛环境中使用浇铸成膜的方法制得了具有规整蜂窝状结构的薄膜,研究了环境温度、湿度和聚合物溶液浓度等因素对孔结构的影响.结果表明,表面活性剂是疏水性膜材质能否形成蜂窝状结构的关键因素.     

Cobalt (II) chloride promoted formation of honeycomb patterned cellulose acetate films

CoCl(2) containing honeycomb patterned films were prepared from cellulose acetate (CA)/CoCl(2)/acetone solutions by the breath figure method in a wide range of humidities. Size and pore regularity depend on the CA/CoCl(2) molar ratio and humidity. When replacing CoCl(2) with Co(NO(3))(2) or CoBr(2), no formation of ordered porosity in the cellulose acetate films is observed. According to data from scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Energy Dispersive X-ray Microanalysis (EDX), X-ray Diffraction (XRD) and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, the key role in the formation of honeycomb structures can be attributed to the physical and chemical properties of CoCl(2) - hygroscopicity, low interaction with CA, and extraction from CA/CoCl(2)/acetone solution by water droplets condensed on the surface of the CA/CoCl(2) solution. Obtained films are prospective for using in catalysis, hydrogen fuel cells, and optical sensing materials.     

Layer structure estimation of three‐dimensional crystal and two‐dimensional molecular film for fluorinated comb copolymers

Comb copolymers containing both hydrogenated and fluorinated side‐chains were prepared by copolymerization using acrylic or methacrylic monomers in several ratios. The crystal structures of these copolymers and layer structures of their organized molecular films were investigated by wide‐angle X‐ray diffraction (WAXD), small‐angle X‐ray scattering (SAXS), and out‐of plane X‐ray diffraction. Further, to selectively estimate the regularity of shorter fluorocarbon side‐chains, organized molecular films of copolymers were investigated by polarized near‐edge X‐ray adsorption fine structure (NEXAFS) spectroscopy. From the results of these measurements, it was inferred that these copolymers formed highly ordered layer structures, and a long spacing was predominantly determined by the arrangement of hydrogenated side‐chains, except in copolymers having extremely high fluorocarbon contents. In the case of the organized molecular films, the fluorinated side‐chains of methacrylate copolymers cannot form a highly ordered arrangement, whereas those of acrylate copolymers were oriented on monolayers. However, in both cases, the hydrogenated side‐chains predominantly formed layer structures in the organized films, and the fluorinated side‐chains did not contribute to the formation of the layer structures. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 46: 534–546, 2008