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On the Dimensional Control of 2 D Hybrid Nanomaterials
Author(s) -
Longo Alessandro,
Mulder DirkJan,
van Kuringen Huub P. C.,
HermidaMerino Daniel,
Banerjee Dipanjan,
Dasgupta Debarshi,
Shishmanova Irina K.,
Spoelstra Anne B.,
Broer Dirk J.,
Schenning Albert P. H. J.,
Portale Giuseppe
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
chemistry – a european journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.687
H-Index - 242
eISSN - 1521-3765
pISSN - 0947-6539
DOI - 10.1002/chem.201701493
Subject(s) - thermotropic crystal , nanomaterials , materials science , polymer , nanoparticle , hybrid material , chemical engineering , phase (matter) , linker , metal , carboxylic acid , nanotechnology , polymer chemistry , organic chemistry , chemistry , composite material , liquid crystalline , computer science , engineering , metallurgy , operating system
Thermotropic smectic liquid crystalline polymers were used as a scaffold to create organic/inorganic hybrid layered nanomaterials. Different polymers were prepared by photopolymerizing blends of a hydrogen bonded carboxylic acid derivative and a 10 % cross‐linker of variable length in their liquid crystalline phase. Nanopores with dimensions close to 1 nm were generated by breaking the hydrogen bonded dimers in a high pH solution. The pores were filled with positively charged silver (Ag) ions, resulting in a layered silver(I)‐polymeric hybrid material. Subsequent exposure to a NaBH 4 reducing solution allowed for the formation of supported hybrid metal/organic films. In the bulk of the film the dimension of the Ag nanoparticles (NPs) was regulated with subnanometer precision by the cross‐linker length. Ag nanoparticles with an average size of 0.9, 1.3, and 1.8 nm were produced inside the nanopores thanks to the combined effect of spatially confined reduction and stabilization of the nanoparticles by the polymer carboxylic groups. At the same time, strong Ag migration occurred in the surface region, resulting in the formation of a nanostructured metallic top layer composed of large (10–20 nm) NPs.