Unique self-assembly behavior of amphiphilic block copolymers at liquid/liquid interfaces

Abstract

Various microstructures of amphiphilic block copolymers were fabricated at the liquid/liquid interfaces.

A new strategy to fabricate composite thin films with tunable micro- and nanostructures via self-assembly of block copolymers

“…5 We subsequently investigated this system systematically and found that foam, honeycomb, and network structures can be fabricated at the liquid/liquid interface by varying the concentration of HAuCl 4 or by changing the length of blocks. 6 Shortly afterwards we developed a new liquid/liquid interfacial self-assembly method to fabricate microstructures of the block copolymer polystyrene-b-poly(acrylic acid)-b-polystyrene (PS-b-PAA-b-PS) with metal ions. 7 This polymer was first dissolved in DMF/CHCl 3 to form a mixed solution because of the strong polarity of the PAA block.…”

“…This is in stark contrast to the PS-b-P2VP systems where the polymer chloroform solution instead of the mixed DMF/chloroform solution was used as the organic phase and composite thin films formed at the liquid/liquid interface. 5,6 When PS-b-PAA-b-PS instead of PS-b-P2VP was used, a film formed at the liquid/liquid interface rather than at the air/liquid interface. 7 This was attributed to the different hydrophilic-lipophilic balance properties of these two polymers: PS-b-PAA-b-PS is a good emulsifier capable of stabilizing the W/O emulsion formed in the lower phase, whereas PS-b-P2VP is not.…”

Fabrication of porous thin films of block copolymer at the liquid/liquid interface and construction of composite films doped with noble metal nanoparticles

“…1(e) and (f)). As revealed in our previous work, 27,29 the formed microstructures depended on experimental conditions, including the polymer structure, the inorganic species, and the concentrations. Hence, the PI-b-P2VP/Ag and PI-b-P2VP/Au composite lms exhibited different morphologies.…”

“…Generally, this kind of lm should be formed at the liquid/liquid interface in the presence of inorganic or other species in the aqueous phase that strongly interact with the polymer molecules in the organic phase, as described in our previous work [25][26][27][28][29] and other literature. Generally, this kind of lm should be formed at the liquid/liquid interface in the presence of inorganic or other species in the aqueous phase that strongly interact with the polymer molecules in the organic phase, as described in our previous work [25][26][27][28][29] and other literature.…”

“…In our previous work, we successfully fabricated various catalytically active composite thin lms with different morphologies doped with noble metal nanoparticles by using homopolymers 25,26 and block copolymers. [27][28][29] The formation of these composite lms was regarded as a result of a specic adsorption process in which the special interaction between the polymer molecules and the inorganic species played a crucial role. It is difficult to form stable thin lms at the liquid/liquid interface without inorganic species.…”