Abstract
A new facile fabrication approach to generate polymeric nanostructures is described. Block copolymers containing immiscible segments can self-assemble to generate ordered nanostructures, such as cylinders of one block in a matrix of the other in the bulk, which can then be sectioned on the nanoscale using a microtome (nanoskiving). Dispersing these sections in a selective solvent for the matrix block results in nanocylinders. In one example, we utilized a poly(N,Ndimethylacrylamide)- block-poly(styrene) (PDMA-PS) copolymer containing 36% by volume of PS. This composition was selected as it self-assembles into cylinders of PS in a matrix of PDMA. Following a previously described procedure, the cylinders were aligned using a channel die. The aligned samples were subsequently sectioned using a microtome containing a diamond knife and dispersed in water, a selective solvent for the PDMA matrix, affording PS nanocylinders with a PDMA corona. This technique allows tuning of nanocylinders without the requirement of specialty fabrication equipment.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 16283-16288 |
Number of pages | 6 |
Journal | ACS Applied Materials and Interfaces |
Volume | 6 |
Issue number | 18 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Sep 24 2014 |
Bibliographical note
Publisher Copyright:© 2014 American Chemical Society.
Keywords
- Block copolymer self-assembly
- Nanocylinders
- Nanoskiving
- Polymeric nanoparticles