Year: 2006
Type: article
Abstract: We report on the formation and the structural properties of "supermicellar" aggregates made from mineral nanoparticles and polyelectrolyte-neutral block copolymers in aqueous solutions. The mineral particles put under scrutiny are ultrafine and positively charged yttrium hydroxyacetate nanoparticles. Combining light, neutron, and X-ray scattering experiments, we have characterized the sizes and the aggregation numbers of the organic-inorganic complexes. We have found that the hybrid aggregates have typical sizes in the range of 100 nm and exhibit a remarkable colloidal stability with respect to ionic strength and concentration variations. Solid films with thicknesses up to several hundreds of micrometers were cast from solutions, resulting in a bulk polymer matrix in which nanoparticle clusters are dispersed and immobilized. It was found in addition that the structure of the complexes remains practically unchanged during film casting.
DOI: 10.1021/jp0603177
Language: English
Subfield: Physical and Theoretical Chemistry
Field: Chemistry
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W1991967519