Determining the morphology of polystyrene-block-poly(2-vinylpyridine) micellar reactors for ZnO nanoparticle synthesis.
We report the use of reverse PS-b-P2VP diblock copolymer micelles as true nanoscale-sized reactor vessels to synthesize ZnO nanoparticles. The reverse micelles were formed in toluene and then sequentially loaded with zinc acetate dihydrate and tetramethylammonium hydroxide reactants. Moreover, high spatial resolution Z-contrast imaging and EDX spectroscopy techniques were used to confirm the segregation of the Zn cation to the core of the loaded micelles. Determining the chemical distribution with high nanoscale spatial resolution is shown to complement the less direct characterization by AFM, DLS and FTIR, thus demonstrating broader implications for the characterization of hybrid nanocomposite systems.
El-Atwani
Osman
O
Materials Science and Engineering Program, Sabanci University, Orhanli, Tuzla, 34956 Istanbul, Turkey.
El-Atwani
Osman C
OC
Aytun
Taner
T
Mutaf
Omer Faruk
OF
Srot
Vesna
V
van Aken
Peter A
PA
Ow-Yang
Cleva W
CW
D008823:Micelles; D053758:Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry*; D010316:Particle Size; D011137:Polystyrenes / Q000737:chemistry*; D011145:Polyvinyls / Q000737:chemistry*; D013499:Surface Properties; D015034:Zinc Oxide / Q000138:chemical synthesis* / Q000737:chemistry
D008823:Micelles; D011137:Polystyrenes; D011145:Polyvinyls; C521881:poly(styrene)-block-poly(2-vinylpyrindine) diblock copolymer; D015034:Zinc Oxide