Effect of interacting nanoparticles on the ordered morphology of block copolymer/nanoparticle mixtures

We investigated the effect of hard additives, that is, magnetic nanoparticles (NPs) and metal NPs, on the ordered morphology of block copolymers by varying the NP concentration. To characterize the structural changes of a block copolymer associated with different NP loadings, small-angle X-ray scattering and transmission electron microscopy were performed. Monodisperse maghemite (γ-Fe₂O₃) NPs (7 nm in diameter) and silver (Ag) NPs (6 nm in diameter) with surfaces modified with oleic acids were synthesized, and a cylinder-forming poly(styrene-block-isoprene) diblock copolymer was used as a structure-directing matrix for the NPs. As the NP concentration increased, domains of NP aggregates were observed for both magnetic and metal NPs. In the case of mixtures of cylinder-forming poly(styrene-block-isoprene) and Ag NPs with weak particle–particle interactions, random aggregates of Ag NPs were observed, and the ordered morphology of the block copolymer lost its long-range order with an increase in the NP concentration. However, regular, latticelike aggregates obtained with γ-Fe₂O₃ NPs, because of the strong interparticle interactions, induced an intriguing morphological transformation from hexagonal cylinders to body-centered-cubic spheres via undulated cylinders, whereas the neat block copolymer did not show such a morphological transition over a wide range of temperatures. The interplay between magnetic NPs and the block copolymer was also tested with magnetic NPs of different sizes. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 44: 3571–3579, 2006     

Small-angle X-ray study of air-dried elastoidin using three- and one- dimensional correlation functions obtained from slit-smeared intensity

In the present paper an isotropic sample of air-dried elastoidin has been studied considering it to be a non-ideal two-phase densely packed system after the theories by Vonk [1]. The relevant important physical parameters obtained for the sample areE, the width of the transition layer,D, the average periodicity transverse to the layers, S/V, the specific inner surface ₁ and ₂, the volume fraction of two phases, i. e. matter and void,l ₁ andl ₂ the transversal lengths,l _r, the range of inhomogeneity,l _c, the length of coherence and 2E/D, the volume fraction of the transition layer. The values ofE obtained by two approches as given by Vonk [1] and Ruland [2] show but a small difference indicating the correctness of the analysis.     

The structure of metallomicelles

The morphology of micelles formed by two novel metallosurfactants has been studied by small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) and small-angle-X-ray scattering (SAXS). The two surfactants both contain a dodecyl chain as the hydrophobic moiety, but differ in the structure of the head group. The surfactants are Cu(II) complexes of monopendant alcohol derivatives of a) the face-capping macrocycle 1,4,7-triazacyclanonane (tacn), and b) an analogue based upon the tetraazamacrocycle 1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecane. Here, neutron scattering has been used to study the overall size and shape of the surfactant micelles, in conjunction with X-ray scattering to locate the metal ions. For the 1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecane-based surfactant, oblate micelles are observed, which are smaller to the prolate micelles formed by the 1,4,7-triazacyclononane analogue. The X-ray scattering analysis shows that the metal ions are distributed throughout the polar head-group region, rather than at a well-defined radius; this is in good agreement with the SANS-derived dimensions of the micelle. Indeed, the same model for micelle morphology can be used to fit both the SANS and SAXS data.     

On the deformation mechanisms of oriented PET and PP films under load

Uniaxially orienred semicrystalline poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) and poly(propylene) (PP) films were loaded parallel to draw direction at various temperatures. Changes in the submicroscopical structure of the films under load were examined by small and wide-angle x-ray scattering (SAXS; WAXS) and birefringence measurements. WAXS measurements reveal a decrease of the initial high orientation of the chains in the crystallites during deformation. Simultaneously, an increase of the birefringence was detected, indicating an orientation of chains in the amorphous regions. The alteration of the long period reflections in the SAXS patterns give strong evidence that lamellar stacks with different orientation angles according to load direction are present. Depending on the orientation of stacks, the contribution of lamellar separation to sample deformation alters, giving rise to different amounts of density changes in the stacks. Absolute intensity measurements of SAXS using a Kratky apparatus reveal that lamellar separation occurs preferentially below or in the range of the glass-transition temperature at small strain. With increasing strain and temperatures above the glass-transition slip deformation mechanisms become more important. The formation of microvoids was observed at strain near to elongation at break below or in the range of glass-transition temperature.     

Concentrated reverse micelles in a random graft block copolymer system: structure and in-situ synthesis of silver nanoparticles

The structure and rheological properties of a poly(dimethylsiloxane)-graft-poly(oxyethylene) copolymer at high concentrations in block-selective solvents were studied by small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) and rheometry. Analysis of SAXS data indicates that quasispherical, reverse micellar aggregates (with no ordered packing) are present in concentrated solutions of the copolymer in nonpolar solvents, and that upon addition of water, the size of such aggregates increases due to the solubilization inside the micellar cores. The viscosity of concentrated polymer solutions increases exponentially as water is added, and finally, viscoelastic, gel-like behavior is found in the vicinity of the phase separation limit. It was found that small silver nanoparticles with an average diameter of ≈3 nm can be synthesized inside the copolymer aggregates without the need of a reducing agent; namely, particles embedded in a viscoelastic matrix are obtained. The synthesis seems to follow first-order kinetics. Electronic supplementary material Supplementary material is available in the online version of this article at and is accessible for authorized users.     

TEOS-MTES基SiO2溶胶微结构的SAXS研究

正硅酸乙酯(TEOS)为前驱体,在碱性条件下制备含有无定形SiO2颗粒的溶胶,以甲基三乙氧基硅烷(MTES)在酸性条件下获得聚甲基硅氧链,二者混合后应用同步辐射X射线进行混合溶胶的SAXS散射强度测定,计算了溶胶的平均回转半径、平均粒径、两相界面层厚度、散射体体积分数、两相间比表面积等参数,辅以光子相关光谱法(PCS)和透射电子显微镜(TEM)观测溶胶粒度,证实SiO2颗粒被MTES混合物连接成族团.实验发现所测混合溶胶样品均表现出对Porod定理的负偏离,说明溶胶中颗粒与溶剂之间存在很明显的两相间界面层.     

Preparation and characterization of well-defined sterically stabilized latex particles with narrow size distribution

 The synthesis and comprehensive characterization of a purely sterically stabilized latex with narrow size distribution is reported. By use of non-ionic initiators no chemically bound surface charges are generated. Stabilization of the particles is achieved through use of a non-ionic surfactant having a double bond in the hydrophobic part which is chemically bound to the surface. Analysis of the latex particles thus generated by transmission electron microscopy, disc centrifugation, and small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) reveals that the size distribution is narrow (standard deviation between 6 and 10%). SAXS furthermore demonstrates that the surfactant is located in a thin layer on the surface. The interaction of the particles is purely repulsive as shown by the analysis of the turbidity of the latex. The systems obtained herein may serve as model systems of water-borne purely sterically stabilized colloid particles. Received: 23 December 1997 Accepted: 18 May 1998     

Small-angle x-ray scattering studies on epoxidized butadiene-styrene block copolymers

Small-angle x-ray scattering (SAXS) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) investigations for epoxidized butadiene-styrene (BS) block copolymers were performed. For unepoxidized copolymers, the SAXS curve exhibits a maximum which indicates that the copolymer has heterogeneity domain morphology. Using the standard theory for a two-phase system, mean distances between domains, the correlation length l _p , and the thickness of the phase boundary were calculated from the SAXS data. It was found that the epoxidation of BS copolymers decreases the ability of the copolymer to separate the individual components. As the content of the epoxide groups increases, the dimensions of the domains decrease until they disappear, the boundary between domains and the matrix becomes less and less definite, and the copolymer composes a homogeneous system. The disappearance of the two-phase structure of the BS copolymers indicates an increase in the compatibility of polystyrene and epoxidized polybutadiene. According to the method of Van Krevelen, the solubility parameters of polystyrene and epoxypolybutadiene were calculated. Small differences between these parameters support the conclusions drawn from the SAXS investigations     

聚己内酯和聚氧化乙烯共混体系中的两类片晶相间堆砌

对聚(ε-己内酯)(PCL)/聚氧化乙烯(PEO)共混物的相差显微镜、广角X-射线衍射(WAXD)、小角X-射线散射(SAXS)及示差扫描量热计(DSC)等的研究表明,只有当共混物中PCL(或PEO)的含量低于20％时,两组份是相容的.当PCL含量低于20％时,在共混物中形成了PEO片晶和PCL片晶相间堆砌的结晶形态,当PEO含量不超过20％时,PEO则完全以非晶形式混入PCL的非晶区,同时阻碍了PCL的结晶.可见在结晶过程中,相容的两组份对共混体系形态结构的影响却不尽相同.     

Early Stages of Crystallization in Gel Derived ZrO2 Precursors

Three different precursor materials giving rise to contrasted nanostructures, xerogels, aerogels and precipitates, are prepared by a sol gel route in the Zrn -propoxide—acetylacetone—water—n-propanol system. Clear homogeneous gels are made by using a proper amount of acetylacetone and water. The gels are dried either by conventional processing (xerogels) or by supercritical evacuation of alcoholic solvent (aerogels). The complexation ratio (R = [acetylacetone]/[Zr(OR)₄]) is the main parameter controlling the size of ZrO₂ primary particles. WhenR = 0 , precipitates are obtained.Xerogels, aerogels and precipitates are characterized and their textures are compared through small angle X-ray scattering measurements. The fractal structure of gels is destroyed by conventional drying and is preserved in aerogels. On the other hand precipitates are described as homogeneous agglomerates of very small primary units.The first crystallization steps are studied by transmission electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction experiments. The contribution of crystallite size and microstrain effects are investigated by Rietveld whole pattern fitting. The crystallization of precipitate powders starts at the agglomerate scale with large crystal like distorted lattices.