Thin Film Composites of Block Copolymers and Bio-Nanoparticles

ORAL

Abstract

Thin film composites of block copolymer and bio-nanoparticle were fabricated through two-step process; adsorption of bio- nanoparticles on polymer film and subsequent annealing under solvent vapor. The humidity of the annealing chamber influenced the dispersion of bio-nanoparticles and the final morphology of the composites. Under high humidity condition, ferritins were dispersed and selectively localized at PEO cylinders of poly (styrene-b-ethylene oxide), P(S-b-EO), while the bio- nanoparticles were aggregated at low humidity. When one component of a block copolymer was charged positively, as in poly(styrene-b-N-methyl-4-vinylpyridinium iodide), P(S-b-4VPQ), the loading of bio-nanoparticles increased significantly. When the loading was low, the morphology was the same as P(S-b-EO) case. However, at high loading, ferritin particles were segregated and formed a continuous boundary around the grains of microphase separated block copolymers. As a result, a 2- dimensional hierarchical structure, where block copolymer chains microphase separated inside of discrete patches surrounded by bio-nanoparticles, was generated. This process was also applicable to anisotropic bio-nanoparticles (e.g. Tobacco Mosaic Virus).

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Authors

  • Thomas Russell

    University of Massachusetts, Dept. of Polymer Science and Engineering, University of Massachusetts at Amherst, Polymer Science and Engineering Department, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Department of Polymer Science \& Engineering, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA 01003, USA, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Dept. of Polymer Science and Engineering, Univ. of Massachusetts, Amherst, Dept. of Polymer Science and Engineering, Univ. of Massachusetts Amherst, Polymer Science and Engineering, Univ. of Massachusetts Amherst, Department of Polymer Science and Engineering,University of Massachusetts-Amherst

  • Dongseok Shin

    Dept. of Polymer Science and Engineering, Univ. of Massachusetts, Amherst, Dept. of Polymer Science and Engineering, Univ. of Massachusetts Amherst, Polymer Science and Engineering, Univ. of Massachusetts Amherst

  • Ting Xu

    University of California, Berkeley, Chemistry, Univ. of Pennsylvania, University of Pennsylvania

  • Seung Hyun Kim

    Nano-Systems Engineering, Inha Univ. S. Korea

  • Qian Wang

    Dept. of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Univ. of South Carolina, Chemistry and Biochemistry, Univ. of South Carolina, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry and Nanocenter, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC 29208, USA