The controlled evolution of a polymer single crystal.
We present a method for controlling the initiation and kinetics of polymer crystal growth using dip-pen nanolithography and an atomic force microscope tip coated with poly-dl-lysine hydrobromide. Triangular prisms of the polymer epitaxially grow on freshly cleaved mica substrates, and their in-plane and out-of-plane growth rates can be controlled by raster scanning the coated tip across the substrate. Atomic force microscope images were concomitantly recorded, providing a set of photographic images of the process as it spans the nanometer- to micrometer-length scales as a function of environmental conditions.
Liu
Xiaogang
X
Department of Chemistry and Institute for Nanotechnology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA.
Zhang
Yi
Y
Goswami
Dipak K
DK
Okasinski
John S
JS
Salaita
Khalid
K
Sun
Peng
P
Bedzyk
Michael J
MJ
Mirkin
Chad A
CA
D000538:Aluminum Silicates; D003460:Crystallization; D018625:Microscopy, Atomic Force; D049329:Nanostructures; D036103:Nanotechnology; D011107:Polylysine / Q000737:chemistry*; D011108:Polymers / Q000737:chemistry; D014961:X-Ray Diffraction
D000538:Aluminum Silicates; D011108:Polymers; D011107:Polylysine; C011934:mica