Selective distributions of functionalized single-walled carbon nanotubes in a polymeric reverse hexagonal phase
Jae-Min Ha1, Hyung-Sik Jang, Sung-Hwan Lim
1Department of Nuclear and Quantum Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, 291 Daehak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, 305-701, Republic of Korea. sungmin@kaist.ac.kr.
Soft Matter
|June 11, 2015
Summary
Hydrophilically functionalized single-walled carbon nanotubes (p-SWNTs) self-assemble into ordered hexagonal arrays within a block copolymer system. This controlled assembly is driven by the nanotubes
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Nanotechnology
- Polymer Science
Background:
- Block copolymer systems, like Pluronic L121-water, exhibit temperature-dependent phase transitions.
- Controlling the distribution of nanoparticles within these phases is crucial for advanced material fabrication.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the distribution of functionalized single-walled carbon nanotubes (p-SWNTs) in the Pluronic L121-water system.
- To understand the self-assembly behavior of p-SWNTs during phase transitions to the reverse hexagonal phase.
- To explore a novel method for creating ordered carbon nanotube superstructures.
Main Methods:
- Small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) to analyze structural changes.
- Contrast-matched small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) for precise localization of p-SWNTs.
- Temperature-controlled phase transitions of the Pluronic L121-water system.
Main Results:
- p-SWNTs transition from polar layers in the lamellar phase to polar cores in the reverse hexagonal phase.
- A hexagonal array of p-SWNTs is formed within the reverse hexagonal structure.
- Selective affinity of p-SWNTs to polar domains drives their distribution.
Conclusions:
- The study demonstrates controlled self-assembly of p-SWNTs into ordered superstructures.
- This method offers a new route for fabricating ordered 1D nanostructures.
- The approach is potentially applicable to other inorganic 1D nanoparticles.
