The deposition of periodic titania nanostructures, templated by a polystyrene-block-poly(4-vinylpyridine) (PS-b-P4VP) block copolymer, is reported. When cast as a thin film (30-50 nm thick), the PS-b-P4VP forms a morphology that consists of P4VP cylinders that are orientated perpendicular to the substrate. The P4VP phase was lightly cross-linked by exposing the film to diiodobutane. When the block copolymer film was exposed to the sol-gel titania precursor, titanium(IV) bis(ammonium lactate) dihydroxide (TALH), titania was formed in the P4VP phase. The resulting titania structures were identical in size to the P4VP cylinders and only formed (under the deposition conditions used in this study) when the block copolymer film was present on the substrate, thus providing evidence that the block copolymer indeed acts as a template. The process works for both silicon and indium tin oxide substrates.
Atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) was initially developed in the mid-1990s, and with continued refinement and use has led to significant discoveries in new materials. However, metal contamination of the polymer product is an issue that has proven detrimental to widespread industrial application of ATRP. The laboratories of K. Matyjaszewski have made significant progress towards removing this impediment, leading the development of "activators regenerated by electron transfer" ATRP (ARGET ATRP) and electrochemically mediated ATRP (eATRP) technologies. These variants of ATRP allow polymers to be produced with great molecular weight and functionality control but at significantly reduced catalyst concentrations, typically at parts per million levels. This Concept examines these polymerizations in terms of their mechanism and outcomes, and is aimed at giving the reader an overview of recent developments in the field of ATRP.
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