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Updated: Sep 22, 2025
Synthesis of Monodisperse Cylindrical Nanoparticles via Crystallization-driven Self-assembly of Biodegradable Block Copolymers
Published on: June 20, 2019
Manipulating Crystal Orientation of Poly(ethylene oxide) by Nanopores
Yu Guan1, Guoming Liu1, Peiyuan Gao2
1Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, CAS Key Laboratory of Engineering Plastics, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190, China.
Abstract:
The confined crystallization behavior of a low molecular weight monodisperse polyethylene oxide (PEO) in anodic alumina oxide (AAO) templates was investigated. Homogeneous nucleation of polymer in AAO templates was confirmed. Within AAO with diameter larger than the contour length of PEO chains, the "kinetics selective growth" crystallization mechanism was confirmed based on the observation that the chain axis preferentially aligned perpendicular to the pore axis. However, when AAO diameter further decreases to a value smaller than the contour length of PEO, unique orientation with chain axis aligned parallel to the pore axis was observed for the first time. The results were discussed based on the competition between thermodynamics and kinetics during the crystallization process.
