title: A facile route to reassemble titania nanoparticles into ordered chain-like networks on substrate.
abstract: A facile route to reassemble titania nanoparticles within the titania-block copolymer composite films has been developed. The titania nanoparticles templated by the amphiphilic block copolymer of poly(styrene)-block-poly (ethylene oxide) (PS-b-PEO) were frozen in the continuous PS matrix. Upon UV exposure, the PS matrix was partially degraded, allowing the titania nanoparticles to rearrange into chain-like networks exhibiting a closer packing. The local structures of the Titania chain-like networks were investigated by both AFM and SEM; the lateral structures and vertical structures of the films were studied by GISAXS and X-ray reflectivity respectively. Both the image analysis and X-ray scattering characterization prove the reassembly of the titania nanoparticles after UV exposure. The mechanism of the nanoparticle assembly is discussed.
authors.affiliation: Polymer and Composites Division, Ningbo Institute of Material Technology and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Zhenhai District, Ningbo, Zhejiang Province, 315201, P. R. China. chengyj@nimte.ac.cn
authors.forename: Ya-Jun
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.forename: Markus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wolkenhauer
authors.forename: Gina-Gabriela
authors.initials: GG
authors.lastname: Bumbu
authors.forename: Jochen S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Gutmann
mesh_terms: D018625:Microscopy, Atomic Force; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D053758:Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000737:chemistry*; D011137:Polystyrenes / Q000737:chemistry*; D013499:Surface Properties; D014025:Titanium / Q000737:chemistry*; D014466:Ultraviolet Rays; D014961:X-Ray Diffraction
chemical_list: D011137:Polystyrenes; C541965:polystyrene-b-poly(ethylene oxide); C009495:titanium dioxide; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D014025:Titanium