title: Morphology selection of nanoparticle dispersions by polymer media.
abstract: Designable media can control properties of nanocomposite materials by spatially organizing nanoparticles. Here we theoretically study particle organization by ultrathin polymer films of grafted chains ("brushes"). Polymer-soluble nanoparticles smaller than a brush-determined threshold disperse in the film to a depth scaling inversely with particle volume. In the polymer-insoluble case, aggregation is directed: provided particles are nonwetting at the film surface, the brush stabilizes the dispersion and selects its final morphology of giant elongated aggregates with a brush-selected width.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, Columbia University, New York, New York 10027, USA.
authors.forename: Jaeup U
authors.initials: JU
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Ben
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: O'Shaughnessy