(505d) Polymer-Confined Nanoparticle Assembly with Interface Control

Macromolecular chains can have the unique assembly, crystallization, and conformation features within nanoscale confinement. However, the confinement effects on nanoparticle assembly have been rarely explored, especially during scalable manufacturing. Therefore, this research will focus on a new method to precisely create surface conditions so nanoparticles can be directed with controlled topologies. First, our unique design of a new 3D printing will enable surface layers that some regions are selectively etchable. The manipulation of polymer-solvent interactions (e.g., curing monomers vs. solvent-affinitive polymers in solvents) will generate surface gratings of different scales, ranging from hundreds of microns to submicron. Etching kinetics will provide the interactions between specific solvents and polymers. Then nanoparticles of different physics (e.g., different dimensions or geometries) and chemistry (e.g., surface tension control via functional group design, compositional variations) will be examined via their compliance upon release to the surface grooves. Finally, the relationship between the surface confinement and the nanoparticle morphologies at equilibrium will be established to broaden the understanding of polymer-nanoparticle processing and scalable manufacturing of composite systems.