Architecture of polymer particles composed of brush structure at surfaces and construction of colloidal crystals

• Published in: Journal of colloid and interface science Vol. 340; no. 1; pp. 27 - 34
• Main Authors: Lee, Dong Hoon, Tokuno, Yoko, Uchida, Satoshi, Ozawa, Masaaki, Ishizu, Koji
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier Inc 01.12.2009; Elsevier
• Subjects: Architecture; ATRP; Brushes; Chemistry; Colloidal crystals; Colloidal state and disperse state; Colloids; Core-shell particles; Exact sciences and technology; General and physical chemistry; Hyperbranched; Light scattering; Physical and chemical studies. Granulometry. Electrokinetic phenomena; Polymerization; Radicals; Scanning electron microscopy; Surface physical chemistry; Colloidal crystals; Hyperbranched; Core–shell particles; ATRP; Encapsulation; Particle size; Film; Particle; Synthesis; Dynamics; Structure; Diameter; Temperature distribution; Scanning electron microscopy; Light scattering; Crystals; Polymerization; Polymer; Reflection; Core-shell particles; Infrared spectrometry; Morphology; Radical mechanism; Spherical particle; Colloid particle; Particle number
• ISSN: 0021-9797; 1095-7103
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jcis.2009.08.035

This work reported the polymer particles composed of brush structure at surfaces via living radical mechanism. Subsequently, we studied the optical properties of colloidal crystals constructed by such particles. The synthesis of polymer particles is reported, which are composed of (1) a spherical colloidal core particle, (2) encapsulation of such seed particles with the inimer 4-vinylbenzyl N,N-diethyldithiocarbamate (VBDC) providing the formation of a hyperbranched structure by a living radical mechanism, and followed by (3) a grafted polymer brush prepared by photo-induced atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP). The particle sizes (number-average particle diameter D n = 190–300 nm) were controlled by varying the temperature and size distributions were extremely narrow ( D w/ D n = ca. 1.0001). By variation of the particle size, the brilliant color could be varied throughout the visible spectrum. The morphology of the core–shell particles and the properties of corresponding film were characterized by Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR), dynamic light scattering (DLS), reflection spectrum measurements, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM).