Control of nanoparticle location in block copolymers

Abstract

A simple procedure is described to incorporate gold nanoparticles and control their location within symmetric poly(styrene-b-2 vinyl pyridine) (PS-PVP) diblock copolymers. Gold nanoparticles coated with thiol-terminated PS and/or PVP homopolymer chains (Mn approximately 1300 and 1500 g/mol, respectively) are incorporated into alternating lamellar layers of PS and PVP (total Mn approximately 196 500 g/mol). The location of the particles is controlled by varying the composition of ligands on the particle surfaces. In particular, gold particles coated with 100% PS or PVP reside near the center of the respective polymer domains, while particles coated with a mixture of both homopolymers reside at the interfaces between the two blocks.