title: Dendritic silica nanoparticles synthesized by a block copolymer-directed seed-regrowth approach.
abstract: A facile seed regrowth method is presented for the preparation of a new type of colloidal dendritic silica nanoparticles (DSNPs) with unique Konpeito-like morphology and high surface area (∼400 m(2) g(-1)). Growth of silica nanoprotrusions on the surfaces of colloidal silica nanoparticles proceeds by hydrolysis and polycondensation of tetraethoxysilane (TEOS) in the presence of a PEO-PPO-PEO-type block copolymer (Pluronic F127) under controlled pH conditions. The polymers adsorbed on the seed surface play a crucial role in the formation of DSNPs. DSNPs with controllable size (28-85 nm) and narrow size distributions can be obtained by using monodisperse silica nanoparticles with various sizes as seeds. The surface morphology of DSNPs is tunable by changing the concentration of TEOS. Additionally, novel dendritic silica nanochains are prepared using one-dimensionally assembled silica nanoparticles as the seeds.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical System Engineering, The University of Tokyo , 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8656, Japan.
authors.forename: Junzheng
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Ayae
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sugawara-Narutaki
authors.forename: Atsushi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Shimojima
authors.forename: Minoru
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Osada
authors.forename: Renzhi
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.forename: Tatsuya
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Okubo