A new multi-step self-assembly route to polymer-semiconducting nanoparticle photonic structures is described. The multi-step self-assembly strategy targets complex hierarchical structures in which organization of cadmium sulfide (CdS) nanoparticles on progressively longer length scales is introduced via a series of three self-assembly steps. each involving building blocks of increasing structural complexity. Each self assembly step can be described as follows: 1) SA1: self-assembly of PS-b-PAA to form block ionomer reverse micelles, followed by synthesis of a single CdS semiconducting nanoparticle in each core, forming the hybrid building blocks PS-CdS: 2) SA2: self-assembly of blends of PS-CdS and PS-b-PAA stabilizing chains in DMF/water mixtures by addition of water to form spherical nanoparticle assemblies, termed large compound micelles (LCMs); 3) SA3: self-assembly of LCMs into ordered close packed arrays by slow water evaporation. The kinetic freezing of building blocks at each stage offers the potential for unique control of nanoparticle self-assembly step since each step is "locked in", allowing structural features determined by the subsequent step to be independently tuned through a new set of experimental variables. Chapter 2 and 3 of this thesis investigate aspects of size and polydispersity control of spherical nanoparticle assemblies in the SA2 self-assembly step. Chapter 4 demonstrates that LCMs can be further assembled (SA3 step) to form three-dimensional hierarchical arrays.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Chemistry and Biochemistry, Georgia Institute of Technology, 2009. / Committee Chair: Marcus Weck; Committee Member: Bunz, Uwe; Committee Member: Collard, David; Committee Member: Jones, Christopher; Committee Member: Payne, Christine

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Delaware, 2007. / Principal faculty advisor: Darrin J. Pochan, Dept. of Materials Science & Engineering. Includes bibliographical references.

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Le concept de metamatériaux est apparu au cours des années 2000 avec la réalisation de structures artificielles permettant une propagation non-conventionnelles des ondes électromagnétiques. La réponse électromagnétique des metamatériaux est liée à la présence d’éléments optiquement résonants, de dimensions inférieures aux longueurs d’onde d’excitation, arrangés dans une structure périodique prédéfinie.Afin de produire les structures géométriques inhérentes au design de metamatériaux, l’auto-assemblage des copolymères à blocs constitue une méthodologie émergente. En effet, les structures périodiques produites lors de la séparation de phase de ces matériaux peuvent être utilisées en tant que canevas pour la création de réseaux périodiques de nanoparticules. L’objectif principal de ces travaux de thèse a ainsi été de démontrer la validité de cette stratégie pour la réalisation, d’une manière simple et reproductible, d’une large gamme de nanostructures et de corréler les paramètres structuraux de ces réseaux de nanoparticules aux propriétés optiques.Une première démonstration de ce concept a été obtenue en utilisant un copolymère à blocs formant une structure lamellaire afin de réaliser des surfaces possédant des indices de réfraction élevés. La formation contrôlée de particules métalliques au sein de cette structure a permis de produire des surfaces décorées par ces nanoparticules, pour lesquelles une corrélation entre la teneur en or et l’indice de réfraction résultant a pu être établie. Ce concept a été poussé plus en avant en utilisant une gamme des copolymères à blocs de différentes masses molaires et formant une morphologie cylindrique. En effet, un contrôle accru des paramètres structuraux des réseaux de nanoparticules (diamètre et distance inter-particules) a permis la réalisation de metasurfaces aux propriétés optiques variées. Enfin la mise au point d’une stratégie d’auto-assemblage itérative nous a permis d’obtenir des metasurfaces au design complexe, avec notamment la production de surfaces décorées par des clusters bimétalliques ou des multicouches hybrides polymère/metal. Dans l’ensemble des cas, les surfaces décorées de nanoparticules ont été minutieusement caractérisées par des techniques de microscopie et de diffraction RX afin de mieux appréhender les propriétés optiques dérivées d’analyses d’ellipsométrie spectroscopique à angle variable. / The concept of metamaterials appeared in the years 2000 with the achievement of artificial structures enabling nonconventional propagation of electromagnetic waves. The electromagnetic response of metamaterials is based on the presence of optically resonant elements of sub-wavelength size and well-designed morphology and organization.In order to create controlled geometrical structures inherent to metamaterials design, block copolymer self-assembly constitutes an emerging strategy. Indeed, the periodic structures inherent to their segregation behavior can be used as scaffolds to create various regular or ordered nanoparticles arrays. The main objectives of this study is to demonstrate that block copolymer can indeed lead to a high level of control of a variety of designed nanostructures, in an easy and scalable method, and to correlate the structural parameters of the nanoparticles arrays and their optical properties.As a first demonstration, a lamellar-forming (poly(styrene)-block-poly(2-vinylpyridine) was used to create high refractive index surfaces. The selective and customizable metal incorporation within the out-of-plane lamellae produces azimuthally isotropic metallic nanostructures of defined geometries, for which a clear relationship between the gold content and the refractive index was established. Further studies were dedicated to the correlation between the geometrical parameters of the nanoparticles arrays and the optical properties through the macromolecular engineering of a series of cylinder-forming block copolymers having a wide range of molecular weights. Through this strategy, the particle diameter and the inter-particle distance were tuned leading to the production of metasurfaces with various optical characteristics. More complex metasurface designs were also obtained using a layer-by-layer self-assembly strategy, i.e. bimetallic raspberry nanoclusters or layered hybrid (metallic/polymer) structures. In all cases, the nanoparticles arrays were thoroughly analyzed using microscopy and small-angle X-ray scattering techniques in order to better apprehend the optical properties derived from variable-angle spectroscopic ellipsometry analysis.

Orientador: Watson Loh / Tese (doutorado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Instituto de Quimica / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-13T12:49:24Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Niemiec_AnnaBarbara_D.pdf: 1144305 bytes, checksum: 6f69691d41a98344e5cab64a46ba1a3c (MD5) Previous issue date: 2008 / Resumo: O tema desta tese como sugerido pelo titulo aborda assuntos correlacionados com formação de sistemas binários de copolímeros em diferentes solventes como também com a interação entre copolímeros bloco e estatísticos de oxido de poli etileno e oxido de poli propileno com vários tipos de surfatantes iônicos: catiônicos, aniônicos e não iônicos. Os estudos deste trabalho foram divididos em três etapas, que foram concluídas com duas publicações e um manuscrito. Em primeiro artigo incluiu se todas as investigações correspondentes aos estudos de interação entre copolímeros em bloco P123 e surfatante não iônico C12EO6 monitorada por calorimetria e espalhamento de luz. Através deste estudo o novo fenômeno para sistema de P123 - C12EO6 foi observado, chamado de transição esferas-bastonetes e identificou-se alta aplicação de técnicas calorimétricas para monitoramento deste tipo de eventos intermoleculares. Este estudo foi executado em colaboração com o grupo de pesquisa da Universidade Lund na Suécia, que conduziu todos os experimentos que envolvem o espalhamento de luz. Por outro lado os experimentos na parte de calorimetria foram feitos dentro do nosso grupo. O segundo artigo descreve sistemas de copolímeros em bloco vs. estatísticos na interação com surfatantes iônicos: aniônicos, catiônicos. Estes estudos revelaram que copolímeros estatísticos interagem com copolímeros aniônicos da maneira parecida com que homopolímeros hidrofílicos. Efeito de temperatura foi investigado também através das técnicas calorimétricas e tendências previamente relatadas foram confirmadas. Como parte complementar a este artigo foram incluídos nesta tese alguns resultados calorimétricos da interação entre copolímeros estatísticos na região do ponto de turvação deles e surfatantes não iônicos, confirmando mais uma vez o que é conhecido da literatura que os surfatantes não-iônicos geralmente não interagem associativamente com polímeros não-iônicos e esta interação é especial para sistema P123 - C12EO6. Por último inclui se neste trabalho o manuscrito que contem um estudo comparativo de sistemas bifásicos de copolímeros em bloco vs. estatísticos. Verificou se neste estudo que os copolímeros estatísticos apresentam diferente comportamento na separação de fases, do que copolímeros em bloco. Devido a falta de auto - agregação destes copolímeros os pontos de turvação deles são menos elevados em comparação com copolímeros em bloco o que devido a esta propriedade tem enorme aplicação na área acadêmica em bioquímica e biotecnologia para purificação de materiais biológicos como também em outras áreas: analise de poluentes, compostos orgânicos,metais / Abstract: The subject of the thesis, as suggested by the title, draws on the formation of binary systems of copolymers in different solvents, as well as interaction of block and random copolymers of poly (ethylene oxide) and poly (propylene oxide) with various types of ionic surfactants: cationic, anionic and non-ionic. These studies are divided in three stages and each of it was concluded with publication or manuscript. In the first article it is included all investigation on interaction between block copolymer P123 and noni-onic surfactant C12EO6 monitored by calorimetry and light scattering. By applying these techniques a new phenomenon was observed in the P123-C12EO6 system, namely a well-defined sphere-to-rod transition of the mixed micelles and interesting application of calorimetric techniques has been identified due to its high sensitivity to this kind of intermolecular events detection. These studies were performed in collaboration with our partners from Lund University, Sweden, who conducted light scattering measurements. On the other hand, measurements on calorimetry have been done within our research group. Moreover, in the second paper interactions between random vs. block copolymers with ionic surfactants (cationic and anionic) has been discussed. These studies revealed an interaction similar to that observed with other hydrophilic homopolymers. Effects of temperature and of the nature of the ionic surfactants on their interaction with these copolymers were found to agree with the previously reported trends. As a complementary part of this article some additional results on interaction between random copolymer and non-ionic surfactants have been included in this thesis. Once again it was confirmed what is reported in the literature that non-ionic surfactants generally do not interact associatively with non-ionic polymers and interaction between P123 and C12EO6 is special to this system. As the last, it was included in this work the manuscript, which contains the comparative studies of biphasic systems constructed from block vs. random copolymers. It was verified in this studies that random copolymers present different phase behaviour than block copolymers. Lack of auto-association of these copolymers promotes their cloud points to be lower then cloud points of block copolymers. Due to this property these copolymers has enormous application in academic area in biochemistry or biotechnology for purification of biological materials as well as in other areas: for pollutants analysis, organic materials or metals / Doutorado / Físico-Química / Doutor em Ciências

Neste trabalho foram preparados nanocompósitos de polímeros estirênicos com argilas organofílicas. Os polímeros estudados foram o poliestireno (PS), um copolímero tribloco de poliestireno-b-polibutadieno-b-estireno (SBS) e quatro copolímeros tribloco de poliestirenob- poli(etileno-co-butileno)-b-estireno (SEBS), sendo um deles modificado com anidrido maléico. Os nanocompósitos foram preparados por três técnicas de obtenção: mistura no fundido, solução e uma técnica híbrida que combina as duas primeiras. Os materiais obtidos foram caracterizados por difração de raios X (XRD), microscopia óptica (OM), microscopia eletrônica de transmissão (TEM), espalhamento de raios X a baixo ângulo (SAXS) e também foram realizados estudos reológicos através do ensaio de cisalhamento oscilatório de pequenas amplitudes (SAOS). O grau de dispersão de argila em algumas amostras foi avaliado por uma técnica baseada na análise de imagens obtidas por TEM. Os resultados mostraram que na maioria dos casos foram obtidos nanocompósitos intercalados, graças à presença da fase de PS em cada polímero. Amostras preparadas por solução tiveram o melhor grau de dispersão de argila, e o polímero que resultou na estrutura mais exfoliada foi o SEBS maleatado. Estudos reológicos mostraram-se muito sensíveis à formação de reticulados de partículas de argila nos nanocompósitos, que passaram a ter comportamento semelhante ao de sólidos. A combinação de técnicas de SAXS com reologia foi bastante útil para estudar a morfologia de fases ordenadas em copolímeros em bloco, permitindo identificar e distinguir estruturas lamelares, cilíndricas e esféricas em cada copolímero. Foi possível verificar que a presença de argila perturba a ordem das fases dos copolímeros e causa diferentes efeitos nas propriedades reológicas destes materiais. / In this work nanocomposites of styrenic polymers and organoclays were prepared. The polymers studied were polystyrene (PS), a polystyrene-b-polybutadiene-b-polystyrene triblock copolymer (SBS) and four polystyrene-b-poly(ethylene-co-butylene)-polystyrene triblock copolymers (SEBS), with one containing maleic anhydride. The nanocomposites were prepared using three different techniques: melt mixing, solution casting and a hybrid technique combining the former two. The materials obtained were characterized by x-ray diffraction (XRD), optical microscopy (OM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), small angle x-ray scattering (SAXS) and by rheological studies, through small amplitude oscillatory shear tests (SAOS). The degree of clay dispersion was evaluated in some samples using a TEM image analysis technique. The results have shown that in most cases intercalated nanocomposites were obtained, due to the PS phase present in each polymer. Samples prepared by solution had the highest degree of clay dispersion, and the maleated SEBS was the polymer which originated the most exfoliated nanocomposite. The results have also shown that rheological studies are very sensitive to the formation of clay networks within the nanocomposites, which behave more solidlike. The combination of SAXS techniques and rheology was very useful to study the morphology of ordered phases in block copolymers, allowing to identify and distinguish the different structures of each copolymer, such as the lamellar, cylindrical and spherical phases. It was possible to verify that the presence of clay disturbs the phase order in the copolymers and has different effects on the rheological properties of these materials.

Fluoropolymers are a versatile and attractive group of compounds having an interesting mix of properties that make them highly useful for various applications. Because of strong bonding between the carbon and fluorine atom, they exhibit unique physical and chemical properties such as high thermal stability, increased chemical resistance, low refractive index, enhanced inertness towards many solvents and hydro-compounds. These characteristics have led them to be widely used in aerospace, aeronautics, optics, microelectronics, paints and coatings, and engineering structures and as biomaterials. Amphiphilic copolymers possess unique solution and solid-state properties due to their well-defined molecular architecture. These properties arise as the result of covalently combining two thermodynamically different polymer blocks that phase separate on the nanoscale. Amphiphilic copolymers based on a fluoro-monomer will combine the favourable physiochemical properties of the desired fluorine segment in combination with complementary hydrophilic segments. Such fluorinated amphiphilic copolymers are potentially useful for drug delivery vehicles and membrane applications. This project is aimed at making fluorinated amphiphilic block copolymers of hydrophobic 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 –pentafluorostyrene (PFS) and hydrophilic methacrylic acid (MAA). A controlled radical polymerization mechanism, nitroxide mediated polymerization (NMP) using NHS-BlocBuilder as the initiator was employed. The advantage of using NMP is that it facilitates the synthesis of copolymers with well-controlled narrow molecular weight distribution. However, methacrylate homopolymerization by NMP is challenging due to the high dissociation equilibrium constant therefore, the use of PFS as a controlling comonomer was explored. We established that to obtain a controlled copolymerization, a minimum of 70 mol% PFS was required, which is significantly greater than other copolymerization systems such as using as little as 4.5-8 mol% styrene to control the copolymerization of MAA. We surmise that this lack of control is due to the unfavourable reactivity ratios (Appendix I) which favour the addition of MAA rather than PFS (rPFS = 0.012, rMAA = 8.12). However, these unique reactivity ratios suggest that a semi-batch approach can be utilized to synthesize almost pure block copolymers in one pot. Therefore, poly(PFS)–b-(PFS-ran-MAA) block copolymers were synthesized and characterized by a semi batch addition of MAA. While successful, the concentration of irreversibly terminated chains was evident and greater care in reducing these unwanted reactions needs to be addressed.

Les films minces de copolymères à bloc PS-b-PLA peuvent servir de gabarits pour la fabrication de nano-objets sur une surface. Ce copolymère à bloc doit dans ce cas être organisé sous forme de cylindres de PLA orientés perpendiculairement et arrangés en hexagone dans une matrice de PS sur plusieurs micromètres. Le PLA extrait par hydrolyse conduit alors à un film mince poreux. Dans cette perspective, des films minces ont été préparés par spin-coating d’une solution d’un PS-PLA, de fraction volumique en PLA 0,35. Les analyses en AFM, MEB montrent que les films ainsi préparés présente un état métastable avec une structure nanoséparée avec des cylindres de PLA orientés perpendiculairement et arrangés en hexagone très localement. Il est nécessaire de réorganiser les films pour obtenir une organisation à longue distance. Les recuits thermiques sous vide s’avèrent peu efficace. L’exposition des films à des vapeurs de solvant (THF, acétone et chlorobenzène) entraîne la réorganisation des films. La nature du solvant, le temps d’exposition conditionnent la morphologie observée. Une étude détaillée de ces paramètres permet d’obtenir une organisation optimale pour les applications visées. Une irradiation UV permet d’immobiliser le film sur la surface rendant possible l’extraction du PLA par hydrolyse. Des films de PS à nanoporosité organisés sur plusieurs micromètres peuvent donc être produits. En parallèle, une stratégie de synthèse originale de copolymères diblocs PS-PLA fondée sur la combinaison d’ATRP et du ROP en utilisant le tribromoéthanol comme amorceur commercial a été essayé. Après purification des copolymères synthétisés sur une colonne de silice afin d’éliminer les homopolymères PLA, les différentes morphologies obtenues après dépôt par spin-coating ont été étudiées et des expositions à des vapeurs de solvants ont été réalisées afin d’améliorer l’ordre à grande échelle des films préparés. / Block copolymers thin films (PS-PLA) can be used as templates to fabricate nano-objects on a surface. This block copolymer must be organized in the form of cylinders of PLA oriented perpendicularly and arranged in a hexagonal array in PS matrix over several micrometers. PLA extracted by hydrolysis leads to a porous thin film. In this perspective, thin films were prepared by spin-coating from a solution of PS-PLA, the PLA volume fraction was 0,35. Analysis by AFM, SEM showed that the films prepared after spin-coating has a metastable state with a nanoseparated structure with PLA cylinders oriented perpendicularly and arranged in hexagon very locally. It is necessary to reorganize the films to obtain a long range order. The thermal annealing have been shown to be ineffective. The exposition of films to solvent vapours (THF, acetone and chlorobenzene) improves the reorganization of block copolymers thin films. The solvent nature and exposure time determine the film morphology. With a detailed experimental study of these parameters we determine the experimental conditions to obtain thin films with cylinders of PLA oriented perpendicularly and arranged in hexagonal array over several micrometers (exposure to THF for 4H). UV irradiation immobilizes the film on the surface and therefore the extraction of PLA is possible by hydrolysis. Nanoporous polystyrene thin film organized over several micrometers can be produced. In parallel, original synthesis of PS-PLA based on the combination of ATRP and ROP using commercial dualinitiator tribromoethanol has been tried. After purification of copolymers synthesized on a silica column to remove the PLA homopolymer, the morphologies obtained after spin-coating have been studied and exposition to solvent vapours were performed to improve the film order-scale.

Abstract: Poly (vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF), thanks to its versatile properties, finds many applications ranging from water purification membranes (thermal and chemical stability) to electronic devices (piezoelectric, pyroelectric and ferroelectric properties). Block copolymers of PVDF with other polymers further expand its properties and, consequently, its applications. Toward this line, my thesis investigates the synthesis, molecular characterization and properties of novel PVDF-based copolymers mainly with poly(tert-butyl acrylate) (PtBuA), poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) and polystyrene (PSt). To prepare the block copolymers a living polymerization is needed, which is compatible with the VDF and the comonomer (tBuA, MMA, St). For this purpose, we used iodine transfer polymerization (ITP) with the difunctional chain transfer agent (CTA) C4F8I2. Difunctional macroinitiator (I-PVDF-I) was first obtained by ITP of VDF monomer with C4F8I2, followed by addition of the comonomer tBuA, MMA or St to afford the triblock copolymers poly(tert-butyl acrylate)-block-poly(vinylidene fluoride)-block-poly(tert-butyl acrylate) (PtBuA-b-PVDF-b-PtBuA), poly(methyl methacrylate)-block-poly(vinylidene fluoride)-block-poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA-b-PVDF-b-PMMA) and polystyrene-block-poly(vinylidene fluoride)-block-polystyrene (PSt-b-PVDF-b-PSt). The structure of all intermediates and final products were characterized by Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) and Gel Permeation Chromatography (GPC). The microstructure and polymorphism of all triblock copolymers, characterized by XRD, shown that the PVDF in the first two copolymers exhibits the electroactive β-phase, while in the third copolymer there is the coexistence of α- and γ-phases. Linear PVDF homopolymers, using the free radical and IT polymerizations, were prepared for comparison purposes. All linear polymers possess the α-phase. The thesis is divided into the following five chapters: 1. Introduction, where the scope of this thesis is given with a brief background on PVDF; 2. Literature Review, where a summary of previously published works on PVDF synthesis and polymorphism is presented; 3. Experimental Section, where detailed procedures and characterization methods are given; 4. Results and Discussion, where outcomes of successful experiments are discussed; and 5. Conclusion and Perspective, where the outcomes of this work are summarized and perspective are discussed.