Factors affecting the synthesis of polymeric nanostructures from template assisted admicellar polymerization.
Template assisted admicellar polymerization (TAAP) utilizes a surfactant layer adsorbed on a surface to localize a monomer to the surface prior to polymerization of the monomer. Nanostructures are formed by restricting adsorption to the uncovered sites of an already-templated surface, in this case, to the interstitial sites between adsorbed latex spheres. This work studies the factors affecting the synthesis of polymeric nanostructures from TAAP for three different monomers, aniline, pyrrole, and methyl methacrylate, and three different surfaces, highly ordered pyrolytic graphite (HOPG), gold, and SiO2. Among the parameters discussed are the effects of monomer and surfactant concentration, surfactant chain length, polymerization time and temperature, and solution ionic strength. Control of the aforementioned parameters allows some control over the nanostructure morphology. Polymer nanopillars, nanorings, honeycombs, and "honeytubes" have been synthesized. Important conclusions regarding the conditions favoring admicellar polymerization relative to polymerization in solution are drawn from the experimental results as well. Sample characterization includes scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Raman spectroscopy, and alternating current (ac) impedance measurements.
Marquez
Maricel
M
School of Chemical, Biological and Materials Engineering, The University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma 73019, USA.
Kim
Soohyun
S
Jung
Joomi
J
Truong
Nguyen
N
Teeters
Dale
D
Grady
Brian P
BP
D008823:Micelles; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D049329:Nanostructures; D011108:Polymers / Q000737:chemistry*; D013059:Spectrum Analysis, Raman
D008823:Micelles; D011108:Polymers