Polymeric nanocomposite comprising size-controlled organic nanostructures via copolymer-directed self-assembly

Inspired by inorganic nanomaterials, low-dimensional organic nanostructures have emerged as a new field of nanomaterials with the presence of size-dependent physical properties. Here, we report a polymeric nanocomposite comprising size-controlled organic nanostructures, formed by copolymer-directed self-assembly. By TEM and SEM images, we found the near-spherical shapes of the zero-dimensional organic nanoparticles. A strongly broadened Raman shift band was probed, suggesting the presence of size-dependent quantum confinement effect. By proof-of-principle quantum chemical calculations, we further explain that the strong Raman broadening is caused by the heterogeneous size-distribution of the organic nanoparticles. The present polymeric nanocomposite opens a new route for exploring low-dimensional organic nanostructures with size-dependent physical properties.