Synthesis and Applications of Block Copolymers and Inorganic Nanoparticles

A special issue of Nanomaterials (ISSN 2079-4991). This special issue belongs to the section "Inorganic Materials and Metal-Organic Frameworks".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 November 2021) | Viewed by 3257

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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Block copolymers have attracted a great deal of attention because of their ability to self-assemble into a variety of nanostructures depending on their molecular structures and the surroundings. Recent progress in the precise synthesis of polymers has further expanded the possibility of the formation of novel, well-defined nano-objects from block copolymers. The interactions between block copolymers and inorganic components are interesting research topics from the viewpoints of both fundamental and material sciences. Block copolymers can be used to synthesize inorganic nanoparticles or assemble nanoparticles into higher-order structures, leading to next-generation nanomaterials with unique optical, magnetic, electronic, and catalytic properties. In these cases, block copolymers often do not merely act as templates but rearrange their assembled structures in response to interactions with inorganic components (synergistic assembly). The aim of this Special Issue is to present a collection of state-of-the-art studies on the synthesis and application of block copolymers and inorganic nanoparticles in order to exchange ideas and encourage new lines of research.

Prof. Dr. Ayae Sugawara-Narutaki
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • block copolymers
  • self-assembly
  • inorganic nanoparticles
  • polymer–inorganic hybrids
  • organic-inorganic interfaces.

Published Papers (1 paper)

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14 pages, 6187 KiB  
Article
Miktoarm Star Copolymers Prepared by Transformation from Enhanced Spin Capturing Polymerization to Nitroxide-Mediated Polymerization (ESCP-Ŧ-NMP) toward Nanomaterials
by Tzu-Yao Lin, Cheng-Wei Tu, Junko Aimi, Yu-Wen Huang, Tongsai Jamnongkan, Han-Yu Hsueh, Kun-Yi Andrew Lin and Chih-Feng Huang
Nanomaterials 2021, 11(9), 2392; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/nano11092392 - 14 Sep 2021
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2452
Abstract
Reversible-deactivation radical polymerization (RDRP) serves as a powerful tool nowadays for the preparations of unique linear and non-linear macromolecules. In this study, enhanced spin capturing polymerizations (ESCPs) of styrene (St) and tert-butyl acrylate (tBA) monomers were, respectively, conducted in the presence of [...] Read more.
Reversible-deactivation radical polymerization (RDRP) serves as a powerful tool nowadays for the preparations of unique linear and non-linear macromolecules. In this study, enhanced spin capturing polymerizations (ESCPs) of styrene (St) and tert-butyl acrylate (tBA) monomers were, respectively, conducted in the presence of difunctional (1Z,1′Z)-1,1′-(1,4-phenylene) bis (N-tert-butylmethanimine oxide) (PBBN) nitrone. Four-arm (PSt)4 and (PtBA)4 star macroinitiators (MIs) can be afforded. By correspondingly switching the second monomer (i.e., tBA and St), miktoarm star copolymers (μ-stars) of (PSt)2-μ-(PtBA-b-PSt)2 and (PtBA)2-μ-(PSt-b-PtBA)2) were thus obtained. We further conducted hydrolysis of the PtBA segments to PAA (i.e., poly(acrylic acid)) in μ-stars to afford amphiphilic μ-stars of (PSt)2-μ-(PAA-b-PSt)2 and (PAA)2-μ-(PSt-b-PAA)2. We investigated each polymerization step and characterized the obtained two sets of “sequence-isomeric” μ-stars by FT-IR, 1H NMR, differential scanning calorimeter (DSC), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). Interestingly, we identified their physical property differences in the case of amphiphilic μ-stars by water contact angle (WCA) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) measurements. We thus proposed two microstructures caused by the difference of polymer chain sequences. Through this polymerization transformation (Ŧ) approach (i.e., ESCP-Ŧ-NMP), we demonstrated an interesting and facile strategy for the preparations of μ-stars with adjustable/switchable interior and exterior polymer structures toward the preparations of various nanomaterials. Full article
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