title: Reorientation mechanisms of block copolymer/CdSe quantum dot composites under application of an electric field.
abstract: Time- and temperature-resolved in situ birefringence measurements were applied to analyze the effect of nanoparticles on the electric field-induced alignment of a microphase separated solution of poly(styrene)-block-poly(isoprene) in toluene. Through the incorporation of isoprene-confined CdSe quantum dots the reorientation behavior is altered. Particle loading lowers the order-disorder transition temperature, and increases the defect density, favoring nucleation and growth as an alignment mechanism over rotation of grains. The temperature dependent alteration in the reorientation mechanism is analyzed via a combination of birefringence and synchrotron SAXS. The detailed understanding of the effect of nanoparticles on the reorientation mechanism is an important prerequisite for optimization of electric-field-induced alignment of block copolymer/nanoparticle composites where the block copolymer guides the nanoparticle self-assembly into anisotropic structures.
authors.affiliation: DWI - Leibniz Institut für Interaktive Materialien, Institut für Physikalische Chemie, RWTH Aachen University D-52062 Aachen, Germany.
authors.forename: Christine C
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Kathrein
authors.affiliation: University of California, Materials Research Laboratory, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, USA.
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pester
authors.affiliation: Fraunhofer-Institut für Angewandte Polymerforschung - IAP, Lehrstuhl für Polymermaterialien und Polymertechnologie, Universität Potsdam, D-14476 Potsdam-Golm, Germany. alexander.boeker@iap.fraunhofer.de.
authors.forename: Markus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ruppel
authors.affiliation: DWI - Leibniz Institut für Interaktive Materialien, Institut für Physikalische Chemie, RWTH Aachen University D-52062 Aachen, Germany.
authors.forename: Maike
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jung
authors.affiliation: Fraunhofer-Institut für Angewandte Polymerforschung - IAP, Lehrstuhl für Polymermaterialien und Polymertechnologie, Universität Potsdam, D-14476 Potsdam-Golm, Germany. alexander.boeker@iap.fraunhofer.de.
authors.forename: Marc
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zimmermann
authors.affiliation: Fraunhofer-Institut für Angewandte Polymerforschung - IAP, Lehrstuhl für Polymermaterialien und Polymertechnologie, Universität Potsdam, D-14476 Potsdam-Golm, Germany. alexander.boeker@iap.fraunhofer.de.
authors.forename: Alexander
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Böker