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Morphology Selection of Nanoparticle Dispersions by Polymer Media

Jaeup U. Kim·Ben O'Shaughnessy
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Abstract

Designable media can control properties of nanocomposite materials by spatially organizing nanoparticles. Here we theoretically study particle organization by ultrathin polymer films of grafted chains (``brushes''). Polymer-soluble nanoparticles smaller than a brush-determined threshold disperse in the film to a depth scaling inversely with particle volume. In the polymer-insoluble case, aggregation is directed: provided particles are non-wetting at the film surface, the brush stabilizes the dispersion and selects its final morphology of giant elongated aggregates with a brush-selected width.

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Jaeup U. Kim, Ben O'Shaughnessy. 2002-02-01. Morphology Selection of Nanoparticle Dispersions by Polymer Media. https://doi.org/10.1103/physrevlett.89.238301

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