Chain-like nanostructures from anisotropic self-assembly of semiconducting metal oxide nanoparticles with a block copolymer

Abstract

A facile method is reported for the preparation of chain-like nanostructures by anisotropic self-assembly of TiO(2) and SnO(2) nanoparticles with the aid of a block copolymer in an aqueous medium. Well-defined crystallographic orientations between neighbouring nanoparticles are observed in TiO(2) nanochains, which is important for tailoring the grain boundaries and thus enhancing charge transport.

Ultralong gold nanoparticle/block copolymer hybrid cylindrical micelles: a strategy combining surface templated self-assembly and Rayleigh instability

“…10,11 Several reports have shown the in situ and ex situ approaches of encapsulating NPs within the core or corona of the wormlike micelles. [12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20] Usually, multiple steps are involved to achieve such hybrid cylindrical structures. Recently, the interfacial instability route has been developed by Zhu and Hayward to encapsulate preformed hydrophobic NPs within both spherical and wormlike micelles.…”

Nanoparticle Vesicles with Controllable Surface Topographies through Block Copolymer-Mediated Self-Assembly of Silica Nanospheres

“…The SNS dispersion at a high pH of ∼10 suggests the existence of considerably strong electrostatic repulsions that prevent SNS assembly, whereas the tendency of SNSs to randomly aggregate at a low pH of ∼8.5 indicates a lack of sufficient electrostatic repulsions to balance the interparticle attractions, which may be hydrophobic interactions induced by surface-adsorbed polymer 25R4. Such pH-dependent dispersion/aggregation behavior of SNSs due to the changed electrostatic repulsion strength has also been observed in their one-dimensional assembly mediated by PEO-PPO-PEO block copolymers. ,, …”

“…Such pH-dependent dispersion/aggregation behavior of SNSs due to the changed electrostatic repulsion strength has also been observed in their one-dimensional assembly mediated by PEO-PPO-PEO block copolymers. 30,31,42 Effects of the 25R4-to-Silica Ratio on the Vesicular Assembly of SNSs. The proper concentration of 25R4 is necessary to induce the vesicular assembly of SNSs.…”

Three-dimensional self-branching anatase TiO2 nanorods: morphology control, growth mechanism and dye-sensitized solar cell application

“…S2 (ESI †) tend to induce crystal splitting, leading to the formation of nanobranches. 70 Optical properties Fig. 7 shows the UV-visible spectra of NSBT, ATN, SBAT-12 h, SBAT-24 h and commercial P25 TiO 2 .…”