title: A study of polymerization-induced phase separation as a route to produce porous polymer-metal materials.
abstract: We report the results of the experimental study of the preparation of hybrid porous polymer material carrying gold nanorods (NRs) on the surface of pores. The material was prepared by utilizing two effects occurring concurrently: the photoinitiated polymerization-induced phase separation in the polymer-solvent mixture and the migration of the NRs to the interface between the polymer and the porogen solvent. We show that the enrichment of the interface with the NRs is enhanced at high polymerization rate leading to the rapid phase separation. By contrast, more rapid increase in viscosity achieved at high polymerization rate does not have a significant effect on the segregation of NRs to the surface of pores.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, University of Toronto, 80 Saint George Street, Toronto, Canada ON M5S 3H6.
authors.forename: Stanislav
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dubinsky
authors.forename: Alla
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Petukhova
authors.forename: Ilya
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Gourevich
authors.forename: Eugenia
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kumacheva