Functional nanostructures by organized macromolecular-metallic hybrid systems

Stabilization of nanoparticles by block copolymers does allow accurate control of particle size and inter particle distance, and offers the possibility of producing thin optically transparent films and a new technique for lithography in the nanometer range. The approach is based on micelles of diblock copolymers with a polar core, which are formed in organic solution and whose core is able to bind a transition-metal compound. Chemical conversion of the inorganic species within the nanocompartment is employed to prepare sterically stabilized inorganic crystallites or clusters. The particle size and interparticle distance of these crystallites or clusters can be controlled exclusively by the film forming block copolymer. Controlled coagulation of spherical block copolymer micelles allows to agglomerate several clusters of equal size in one compartment and to prepare strings of the clusters. After film formation the polymer shell can be removed entirely by using an oxygen plasma technique resulting in the deposition of the naked clusters on different substrates without destroying the former particle organization.