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Fabrication of a Vertically Aligned Au Nanorod Array via Block‐Copolymer‐Templated Electroplating
Author(s) -
Komiyama Hideaki
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
chemistryselect
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.437
H-Index - 34
ISSN - 2365-6549
DOI - 10.1002/slct.201800648
Subject(s) - nanorod , materials science , copolymer , chemical engineering , nanotechnology , electroplating , azobenzene , cyclic voltammetry , layer (electronics) , composite material , electrochemistry , electrode , polymer , chemistry , engineering
Hexagonally assembled gold (Au) nanorod arrays oriented perpendicular to the substrate are fabricated by block‐copolymer‐templated electroplating. An amphiphilic diblock copolymer consisting of poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) and poly(methacrylate) bearing an azobenzene mesogen on the side chain (PEO‐ b ‐PMA(Az)) thin film is used as a template without any nanopore‐generation processes. The PEO within the microphase‐separated cylindrical domains of the template function as an electrolytic medium to electroplate Au. The Au nanorods selectively grow through the PEO cylindrical domains. The growth process of the Au nanorods is monitored using cyclic voltammetry and field emission scanning electron microscopy. The feature size (diameter, periodicity, and length) of the Au nanorods is controlled by the feature size and thickness of the template and the amount of passed charge. The optical characteristics of the resulting Au nanorod array are carefully investigated, including angle‐dependent ultraviolet–visible–near infrared spectra and surface enhanced Raman scattering activity. In addition, the morphology of Au nanorods in the template change into Au nanoparticles based on Rayleigh instability.