title: Designer nanojunctions: orienting shaped nanoparticles within polymer thin-film nanocomposites.
abstract: We demonstrate that polymer-grafted metal nanoparticles of various shapes and dimensions self-assemble into arrays of string-like superstructures upon phase separation within a matrix polymer. Interparticle orientation within these nanocomposites can be dictated by the chain length of the grafted polymer.
authors.affiliation: NanoEngineering Department, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Dr #0448, La Jolla, CA 92093-0448, USA.
authors.forename: Bo
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.forename: Yahya
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Alvi
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Rosen
authors.forename: Marvin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lav
authors.forename: Andrea R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Tao