Self-Assembly of Large Magnetic Nanoparticles in Ultrahigh Molecular Weight Linear Diblock Copolymer Films

The development of diblock copolymer (DBC) nanocomposite films containing magnetic nanoparticles (NPs) with diameters (D) over 20 nm is a challenging task. To host large iron oxide NPs (Fe₃O₄, D = 27 ± 0.6 nm), an ultrahigh molecular weight (UHMW) linear DBC polystyrene-block-poly(methyl methacrylate) (PS-b-PMMA) is used as a template in the present work. Due to hydrogen bonding between the carboxylic acid ligands of the NPs and the ester groups in PMMA, the NPs show an affinity to the PMMA block. The localization of the NPs inside the DBC is investigated as a function of the NP concentration. At low NP concentrations, NPs are located preferentially at the interface between PS and PMMA domains to minimize the interfacial tension caused by the strong segregation strength of the UHMW DBC. At high NP concentrations (≥10 wt %), chain-like NP aggregates (a head-to-tail orientation) are observed in the PMMA domains, resulting in a change of the morphology from sphere to ellipsoid for part of the PMMA domains. Magnetic properties of the hybrid films are probed via superconducting quantum interference device magnetometry. All hybrid films show ferrimagnetism and are promising for potential applications in magnetic data storage.