The use of surface tension to predict the formation of 2D arrays of latex spheres formed via the Langmuir-Blodgett-like technique

Highly ordered hexagonal arrays of latex spheres on highly ordered pyrolytic graphite (HOPG) have been prepared from a Langmuir-Blodgett-like (LB-like) technique using both polymers and surfactants as spreading agents. The role of spreading agent concentration in forming a well-ordered, stable monolayer at the air-liquid interface was studied by means of atomic force microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, optical microscopy, and surface tension measurements for three different systems: a nonionic surfactant, octylphenoxy poly(ethyleneoxy)ethanol (Igepal CO 630); an anionic surfactant, sodium dodecyl sulfate; and a low-molecular-weight, water-soluble polymer, polyacrylamide. For both the anionic surfactant and the water soluble polymer, a correlation was found between a unique feature in surface tension measurements of the latex-spreading agent mixture and the concentrations at which hexagonal arrays of latex spheres form on the surface of HOPG. For the nonionic surfactant, no ordered structures were found on HOPG for any surfactant concentration, consistent with no appearance of the unique feature in surface tension measurements. These results show that a tensiometer can be used to determine the conditions under which well-ordered latex films have the possibility of forming on a substrate using the LB-like technique; however, other factors, such as pulling speed and surface chemistry, play a role as well.     

Selective deposition in multilayer assembly: SAMs as molecular templates

Self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) on surfaces may be used as molecular templates for the selective deposition of polymer multilayer films. SAMs of ω-functionalized alkane thiolates are patterned onto gold surfaces with micron scale features using the microcontact printing method; glass substrates can also be patterned with trichloroalkylsilane SAMs. Patterned polymeric monolayer and multilayer films are adsorbed atop the SAM from dilute polymer solutions using ionic macromolecular self-assembly techniques which have been developed recently. The effects of polymer molecular weight and ionic content, as well as the use of a second SAM in the unpatterned regions to promote selectivity are discussed. Surface roughness, selectivity and other film properties are presented. It is demonstrated that this technique can be used successfully in the patterning of micron scale features with multilayers of low molecular weight upon adsorption from dilute solution.     

252Cf-Plasma desorption mass spectrometry using polymer surfaces

The adsorption of molecules onto a specially designed polymer surface is a new sample preparation technique for ²⁵²Cf-plasma desorption mass spectrometry (²⁵²Cf-PDMS) where an analyte is adsorbed from a solution onto the surface of a thin film that has been modified to have a particular attraction for the analyte. The adsorbed layer is directly analyzed by ²⁵²Cf-PDMS. Mass spectra of pepsin (mol. wt. 35 000) adsorbed onto nitrocellulose and highly-charged heparin fragments adsorbed onto an immobilized cationic surfactant film are some of the recent applications to difficult analytical problems.     

Factors affecting the synthesis of polymeric nanostructures from template assisted admicellar polymerization

Template assisted admicellar polymerization (TAAP) utilizes a surfactant layer adsorbed on a surface to localize a monomer to the surface prior to polymerization of the monomer. Nanostructures are formed by restricting adsorption to the uncovered sites of an already-templated surface, in this case, to the interstitial sites between adsorbed latex spheres. This work studies the factors affecting the synthesis of polymeric nanostructures from TAAP for three different monomers, aniline, pyrrole, and methyl methacrylate, and three different surfaces, highly ordered pyrolytic graphite (HOPG), gold, and SiO2. Among the parameters discussed are the effects of monomer and surfactant concentration, surfactant chain length, polymerization time and temperature, and solution ionic strength. Control of the aforementioned parameters allows some control over the nanostructure morphology. Polymer nanopillars, nanorings, honeycombs, and "honeytubes" have been synthesized. Important conclusions regarding the conditions favoring admicellar polymerization relative to polymerization in solution are drawn from the experimental results as well. Sample characterization includes scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Raman spectroscopy, and alternating current (ac) impedance measurements.     

Polyaniline precipitation in aqueous medium: from bulk aggregates to nanoparticles

A postsynthetic self-assembly system was designed to investigate a construction process from suspended polyaniline (PANI) molecules to condensed aggregates. The conventionally synthesized PANI was dissolved in polar solvent and introduced into acidic medium with electrolytes similar to the aniline chemical oxidative polymerization (COP) medium. In this way, reaction interference that is usually encountered in the COP process could be avoided, and influences of medium conditions including organic electrolytes on the self-assembly behaviors of PANI were studied. It was discovered that, in a static aqueous medium with moderate pH and rich electrolytes, PANI molecules composed of bulk aggregates could self-assemble into well-dispersed nanoparticles with few structural changes. Electrostatic force is considered to dominate the self-assembly of PANI molecules as compared with other noncovalent interaction or the effect of soft templates such as ionic liquid and surfactant. The results are supposed to provide better understanding on the formation mechanism of micro/nanostructured PANI.     

Synthesis and Catalytic Activity of Cu-Incorporated MCM-41 with Spheres-within-a-Sphere Hollow Structure

Cu-incorporated ordered hexagonal mesoporous silicates （Cu-MCM-41） with spheres-within-a-sphere hollow structure have been synthesized using thermoreversible polymer hydrogel methylcellulose （MC） and cationic surfactant as co-templates, which have been characterized by scanning electron micrograph （SEM）, X-ray diffraction （XRD）, transmission electron micrograph （TEM）, and N2 adsorption-desorption isotherms. The obtained results indicate that the morphology of Cu-incorporated MCM-41 materials is ＂spheres-within-a-sphere＂ hollow structure, which is very similar to that of the alveolus. In benzene hydroxylation with H2O2, the hollow spheres show much higher catalytic activity than particles of Cu-MCM-41.     

非对称双嵌段共聚物薄膜在平板受限和溶剂蒸发下自组装行为的分子模拟研究

采用模拟退火和Monte Carlo方法研究体相形成柱状相的双嵌段共聚物薄膜在平板受限和溶剂蒸发条件下的自组装,特别关注柱状相形貌的取向.对于平板受限下的薄膜,研究了表面选择性、溶剂选择性和膨胀程度对柱状相取向的影响.对于溶剂蒸发的薄膜,研究了表面选择性和薄膜厚度对柱状相取向的影响,并讨论了柱状相取向的机理.结果表明,薄膜内存在中性溶剂时形成垂直柱形貌的表面选择性范围较小;存在亲长嵌段的溶剂时形成垂直柱形貌的表面选择性范围较大.溶剂蒸发后薄膜生成垂直柱形貌的参数范围较热退火下增大;柱状相取向取决于蒸发过程中体系由球状相演化为柱状相时的薄膜厚度与体相周期的匹配性.     

Scanning tunneling microscopy study of metal-free phthalocyanine monolayer structures on graphite

Low temperature scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) studies of metal-free phthalocyanine (H2Pc) adsorbed on highly oriented pyrolytic graphite (HOPG) have shown ordered arrangement of molecules for low coverages up to 1 ML. Evaporation of H2Pc onto HOPG and annealing of the sample to 670 K result in a densely packed structure of the molecules. Arrangements of submonolayer, monolayer, and monolayer with additional adsorbed molecules have been investigated. The high resolution of our investigations has permitted us to image single molecule orientation. The molecular plane is found to be oriented parallel to the substrate surface and a square adsorption unit cell of the molecules is reported. In addition, depending on the bias voltage, different electronic states of the molecules have been probed. The characterized molecular states are in excellent agreement with density functional theory ground state simulations of a single molecule. Additional molecules adsorbed on the monolayer structures have been observed, and it is found that the second layer molecules adsorb flat and on top of the molecules in the first layer. All STM measurements presented here have been performed at a sample temperature of 70 K.     

Controllable synthesis of conducting polypyrrole nanostructures

Wire-, ribbon-, and sphere-like nanostructures of polypyrrole have been synthesized by solution chemistry methods in the presence of various surfactants (anionic, cationic, or nonionic surfactant) with various oxidizing agents [ammonium persulfate (APS) or ferric chloride (FeCl3), respectively]. The surfactants and oxidizing agents used in this study have played a key role in tailoring the nanostructures of polypyrrole during the polymerization. It is inferred that the lamellar structures of a mesophase are formed by self-assembly between the cations of a long chain cationic surfactant [cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) or dodeyltrimethylammonium bromide (DTAB)] and anions of oxidizing agent APS. These layered mesostructures are presumed to act as templates for the formation of wire- and ribbon-like polypyrrole nanostructures. In contrast, if a short chain cationic surfactant octyltrimethylammonium bromide (OTAB) or nonionic surfactant poly(ethylene glycol) mono-p-nonylphenyl ether (Opi-10) is used, sphere-like polypyrrole nanostructures are obtained, whichever of the oxidizing agents mentioned above is used. In this case, micelles resulting from self-assembly among surfactant molecules are envisaged to serve as the templates while the polymerization happens. It is also noted that, if anionic surfactant sodium dodeyl surfate (SDS) is used, no characteristic nanostructures of polypyrrole were observed. This may be attributed to the doping effect of anionic surfactants into the resulting polypyrrole chains, and as a result, micelles self-assembled among surfactant molecules are broken down during the polymerization. The effects of monomer concentration, surfactant concentration, and surfactant chain length on the morphologies of the resulting polypyrrole have been investigated in detail. The molecular structures, composition, and electrical properties of the nanostructured polypyrrole have also been investigated in this study.     

Self-organization of surfactant-metal-ion complex nanofibers on graphite surfaces and their application to fibrously concentrated platinum nanoparticle formation

We report the fabrication of self-organized surfactant nanofibers containing platinum ions on a highly oriented pyrolytic graphite (HOPG) surface from mixed solutions of hexadecyltrimethylammonium hydroxide (C16TAOH) and hydrogen hexachloroplatinate (IV) (H2PtCl6). The fibrous surfactant self-assembly was stable in air, even after being soaked in water, in contrast to surfactant hemicylindrical micelles, which are stable only at graphite/solution interfaces. The results show that the graphite surface served as an essential template for the specific formation of fibrous surfactant self-assemblies. In addition, when surfactant nanofibers containing metal ions were treated with hydrazine, platinum nanoparticles concentrated in the nanofibers formed on the HOPG surface. We also prepared surfactant nanofibers containing gold ions on HOPG surfaces and formed gold nanoparticles in the nanofibers.     

Self-assembled monolayers based on phenanthroline-gold(111) bonding

The self-assembly of long-alkyl-chain substituted phenanthroline derivatives on highly oriented pyrolitic graphite (HOPG) and gold(111) is compared. Whereas the adsorption on HOPG is controlled by the affinity of alkyl chains for the substrate, which leads to flat-lying adsorbed molecules, alignments of upright-oriented molecules are formed on gold(111). This situation is explained by the bonding of chelating species with gold(111) surfaces and by the pi-stacking interaction between conjugated moieties. This intermediate situation between strong thiol-like chemical bonding and the weak n-alkane-like physical adsorption opens the route toward laterally organized functional molecular assemblies.     

Surface enhanced raman scattering of aromatic thiols adsorbed on nanostructured gold surfaces

In this paper we describe the use of a simple and versatile technique of templated electrodeposition through polystyrene sphere templates to produce nanostructured films of gold with regular submicron spherical holes arranged in a hexagonal close-packed structure. The templates were produced by self assembly of a monodispersed suspension of polystyrene spheres on gold substrates using capillary forces. The self assembly process was modified through the chemical modification of the gold substrate with cysteamine thiol. Films of gold were prepared by electrochemical deposition through the template. The electrochemical deposition charge and the current time curve were used to control the film height with a precision of approximately 10 nm. The colour of the nanostructured films changed as the film thickness was changed. Surface enhanced Raman Scattering spectra were recorded and used to identify very low concentrations of aromatic thiol molecules, 4-Nitrobenzenethiol (4-NBT) and 4-Aminobenzenethiol (4-ABT), adsorbed on the surface of the nanostructured gold substrates.      

Gemini表面活性剂对疏水缔合聚丙烯酰胺界面吸附膜扩张流变性质的影响

采用小幅低频振荡和界面张力弛豫技术, 考察了疏水缔合水溶性聚丙烯酰胺(HMPAM)在正癸烷-水界面上的扩张黏弹性质, 研究了不对称Gemini表面活性剂C₁₂COONa-p-C₉SO₃Na对其界面扩张性质的影响. 研究发现, 疏水链段的存在, 使HMPAM在界面层中具有较快的弛豫过程, 扩张弹性显示出明显的频率依赖性. 表面活性剂分子可以通过疏水相互作用与聚合物的疏水嵌段在界面上形成类似于混合胶束的特殊聚集体. 表面活性剂分子与界面聚集体之间存在快速交换过程, 可以大大降低聚合物的扩张弹性. 同时, 聚合物分子链能够削弱表面活性剂分子长烷基链之间的强相互作用, 导致混合吸附膜的扩张弹性远低于单独表面活性剂吸附膜.     

Adsorption of N-Decyl-N,N,N-trimethylammonium triflate (DeTATf), a cationic surfactant, on the Au(111) electrode surface

The adsorption behavior of the cationic surfactant N-decyl-N,N,N-trimethylammonium triflate (DeTATf) on the Au(111) electrode surface was characterized using cyclic voltammetry, differential capacity, and chronocoulometry. The thermodynamics of the ideally polarized electrode have been employed to determine the Gibbs excess and the Gibbs energy of adsorption. The results show that the adsorption of DeTATf has a multistate character. At low bulk DeTATf concentrations, the adsorption state is consistent with the formation of an adsorbed film of nearly flat molecules. At higher concentrations this film may represent a three-dimensional aggregated state. At negative potentials and charge densities close to 0 microC cm-2, the data suggest the formation of a film of tilted molecules oriented with the hydrocarbon tail toward the metal surface and the polar head toward the solution. A surprising result of this study is that DeTATf displays adsorption characteristics of a zwitterionic rather than a cationic surfactant. This behavior indicates that the adsorbed species is an ion pair.     

Directed self-assembly of surfactants in carbon nanotube materials

The self-assembly of surfactant molecules on crossing carbon nanotubes has been investigated using a bead-spring model and implicit solvent dissipative particle dynamics simulations. Adsorption is directed to the nanotube crossing by its higher hydrophobic potential which is due to the presence of two surfaces. As a consequence of the tendency of surfactant molecules to self-assemble into micelles, the adsorbed molecules form a "central aggregate" at the crossing, thus, confining the molecules to the immediate vicinity of the crossing. Adsorption on the remaining nanotube surface becomes significant only at higher surfactant concentrations, where the molecules self-assemble to hemimicelles which grow continuously to full micelles upon increase of the (bulk) surfactant concentration. Our results allow two conclusions for the rational design of nanostructured materials: (i) the size of the central aggregate can not be much larger than that of a bulk micelle and (ii) control of the adsorbed structures is conveniently possible via the (bulk) surfactant concentration.     

C-H...F hydrogen bonding: the origin of the self-assemblies of bis(2,2'-difluoro-1,3,2-dioxaborine)

The effect of the molecular structure on the self-assembly of specially designed two-core 1,3,2-dioxaborines has been studied with various techniques. It was found that the molecules spontaneously adsorbed on HOPG surfaces and self-organized into well-ordered two-dimensional (2D) monolayers. The structural details of the 2D assemblies were investigated by scanning tunneling microscopy (STM). From X-ray analysis of the corresponding three-dimensional (3D) crystal and from theoretical calculation, we were able to reveal the driving force behind the specific self-assembly. The C-H...F hydrogen bonding between the ortho carbon of the phenyl ring and the fluorine of the BF2 group plays an important role in the formation of the adlayers. The different electron affinities and geometries of the molecules affect the intermolecular interactions which further lead to different properties in the bulk materials.     

Study on synthesis of two-armed polymers containing a crown ether core and their self-assembly behaviors in selective solvents

A series of well-defined two-armed polymers containing a crown ether core, poly(stearyl methacrylate)-crown ether-poly(stearyl methacrylate) (PSMA-crown-PSMA), with different molecular weight were synthesized via atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP). The resultant polymers were characterized by ¹H NMR and GPC. The self-assembly behaviors of this kind of polymer in selective solvents were studied by TEM, and it was found that polymers with different molecular weight can directly self-assemble into hollow spheres, solid spheres and a monolayer film with regular pores by varying molecular weight and water content. The possible molecular packing motels for their self-assembly behaviors were proposed.     

Characterization of nanostructured hollow polymer spheres with small-angle neutron scattering (SANS)

Hollow polymer spheres synthesized from a vesicle-directed polymerization can be dried and redispersed in water using a variety of nonionic ethoxylated alcohol surfactants as stabilizers. The final dispersions consist of both polymer shells and surfactant micelles, which remain together in colloidal suspension for at least several months. Small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) is used to measure the polymer shell thickness (63 A) and core radius (560 A) of the surfactant-stabilized hollow polymer spheres in the presence of surfactant micelles. Characterization by SANS provides information about the surfactant bilayer and polymer shell thicknesses which were previously unattainable.     

Facile fabrication of mechanochromic-responsive colloidal crystal films

This paper presents a simple approach to fabricate a reversible mechanochromic-responsive crystal film based on the room-temperature film-formation of monodisperse polymer latex by the aid of nanosilica particles. In this approach, when the "soft" colloidal polymer spheres were blended with colloidal silica particles and then cast on a substrate, followed by drying at room temperature for self-assembly, an elastic crystal film was directly obtained. This crystal film has not only reversible and repeatable mechanochromic-responsive property, but also tunable color and peak position covering almost entire visible spectral region, depending upon the sizes of polymer spheres and strains. This optical response is attributed to the variation of lattice spacing during deformation.     

Effect of pore size on adsorption of a polyelectrolyte to porous glass

The adsorption of quaternized poly(vinylpyridine) (QPVP) on controlled pore glass (CPG) size, over the ionic strength range 0.001-0.5 M was found to display nonmonotonic behavior as a function of pore size. Both adsorption kinetics and ionic strength effects deviated dramatically from behavior typical of adsorption on flat surfaces when the ratio of the pore radius Rp to the polymer hydrodynamic radius Rh became smaller than ca. 2. Ionic strength enhancement of adsorption for small pore sizes was observed at much higher salt concentrations than is typical for polycation adsorption on flat surfaces. The amount of polymer adsorbed per unit surface area of glass GammaA, in 0.5 M NaCl, exhibited a shallow maximum at Rp/Rh approximately 5. Since the value of GammaA for small pore size CPG is strongly depressed by the large surface area, an alternative and more interesting observation is that the amount of polymer adsorbed per gram of CPG, Gammaw, displays a strong maximum when Rp is equal to or slightly smaller than Rh. The efficiency with which QPVP binds anionic micelles to (negatively charged) CPG (grams of surfactant/grams of QPVP) increases strongly with diminishing pore size, indicating that the configuration of polycation bound to small pores favors micelle binding. Since the micelles are larger than small pores, the results indicate that when Rp < Rh, adsorbed polycation molecules reside only partially within the pore. The results of this study are supported by simulations of polyelectrolytes within cylindrical cavities.