Nanocomposites achieve unique behaviors by combining multiple phases of materials with disparate properties. The attributes of a nanoscomposite are a result of not only their compositional makeup, but additionally the spatial organization of the different components. Current nanocomposite synthesis schemes typically center on creating good compatibility between the phases, but there does not exist a universal method for creating nanocomposites with precise structural control. In this talk, we will discuss Nanocomposite Tectons (NCTs), a novel nanoscale building block consisting of an inorganic nanoparticle core and a polymeric shell, with each chain terminated in a supramolecular binding group at the periphery of the NCT. NCTs are themselves composites, as they contain both organic and inorganic constituents, which ensures compatibility between the two phases. Interestingly, even though the components of NCTs are soft and polydisperse, the enthalpic driving force of the supramolecular bond is capable of ordering them into well-defined lattices. Therefore, NCTs provide a unique opportunity to synthesize and study composites with precise spatial control of their elements. In this talk we will describe how a range of characterization methods, from small angle x-ray scattering to molecular dynamics simulations, reveal the structure of NCTs themselves, as well as their constituent parts. By understanding how NCTs order themselves from the molecular scale to the mesoscale, design principles can be established for rationally engineering nanocomposite structure.

Self-assembling nanocomposite tectons: Making ordered nanomaterials from soft building blocks

256th National Meeting (2018)

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