Cluster-mediated assembly enables step-growth copolymerization from binary nanoparticle mixtures with rationally designed architectures.

ABSTRACT: Directed co-assembly of binary nanoparticles (NPs) into one-dimensional copolymer-like chains is fascinating but challenging in the realm of material science. While many strategies have been developed to induce the polymerization of NPs, it remains a grand challenge to produce colloidal copolymers with widely tailored compositions and precisely controlled architectures. Herein we report a robust colloidal polymerization strategy, which enables the growth of sophisticated NP chains with elaborately designed structures. By quantifying NP assembly statistics and kinetics, we establish that the linear assembly of colloidal NPs, with the assistance of PbSO₄ clusters, follows a step-growth polymerization mechanism, and on the basis of this, we design and fabricate NP chains structural

SUBMITTER: Zhang X 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5944820 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature