Polymer-Grafted Nanoparticles (PGNs) with Adjustable Graft-Density and Interparticle Hydrogen Bonding Interaction

Polymer-grafted nanoparticles (PGNs) receive great attention because they possess the advantages of both the grafted polymer and inorganic cores, and thus demonstrate superior optical, electronic, and mechanical properties. Thus, PGNs with tailorable interparticle interactions are indispensable for the formation of a superlattice with a defined and ordered structure. In this work, the synthesis of PGNs is reported which can form interparticle hydrogen-bonding to enhance the formation of well-defined 2D nanoparticle arrays. Various polymers, including poly(4-vinyl pyridine) (P4VP), poly(dimethyl aminoethyl acrylate) (PDMAEMA), and poly(4-acetoxy styrene) (PAcS), are attached to silica cores by a "grafting from" in a mini emulsion-like synthesis approach. SiO2-PAcS brushes are deprotected by hydrazinolysis and converted into poly(4-vinyl phenol) (PVP), containing hydroxyl groups as potential hydrogen-bonding donor sites. Understanding and controlling interparticle interactions by varying grafting density in the range of 10(-2)-10(-3) chain nm(-2), and the formation of interparticle hydrogen bonding relevant for self-assembly of PGNs and potential formation of PGN superlattice structures are the motivations for this study.