Polymers in the World of Nanoscience Based Materials

摘要

Recent developments in two areas are discussed in which polymer-solid particle interactions play a decisive role: a) inorganic-polymer hybrid materials in terms of blends of nanometer sized crystals and amorphous polymers, and b) synthesis of inorganic particles (single crystals) with control over size and shape by polymer additives. It is shown that basic principles of polymer physics predict that the miscibility of particles with polymer melts and glasses of ordinary polymers is limited to volume fractions of not more then typically 2 percent. This is experimentally verified for blends of zinc oxide nanosized crystals and poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA). The control of size and shape of crystals in precipitation processes is demonstrated for zinc oxide as an example. When suitable designed polymers like surface functionalized latex particles of nanometer dimensions are used, hybrid polymer/crystal materials are obtained. The latex particles become embedded into the otherwise perfect crystalline material. Small crystals perforated by nanometer sized holes are obtained after removal of the polymer latex.