Nanocomposite self-assembly

As such, nanocomposite self-assembly can be considered to be an efficient structure-generating approach for the discovery of nanocomposite materials (Figure 21). 

Usually, the thicknesses of the lamellar polymer crystals and intercrystalline amorphous zones do not exceed a few tens of nanometers. Semicrystalline polymers are in fact Nature s nanocomposites self-assembled nanocomposite materials in which a combination of crystals and rubbery amorphous phase may coexist, resulting in the remarkable ductility and toughness of these materials. Another consequence of the relatively small thickness of polymer crystals and the high surface energy of their basal surfaces is a strong dependence of melting temperature on the crystal thickness. 

In conclusion, we have highlighted in this and the preceding section two versatile synthetic strategies to bio-inorganic layered nanocomposites based on the self-assembly of organically functionalized magnesium phyllosilicates (Figure 8.18). 

Yamaguchi, A., Uejo, F., Yoda, T., Uchida, T., Tanamura, Y., Yamashita, T. and Teramae, N. (2004) Self-assembly of a silica-surfactant nanocomposite in a porous alumina membrane. Nature Materials, 3, 337-341. 

Ruland, W. Smarsly, B. M. 2007. 2D SAXS of self-assembled nanocomposite films with oriented arrays of spheres Determination of lattice type, preferred orientation, deformation and imperfection. J. Appl. Cryst. 40 409 417. 

V. Blyznyuk, B. Ruhstaller, P.J. Brock, U. Scherf, and S.A. Carter, Self-assembled nanocomposite polymer light-emitting diodes with improved efficiency and luminance, Adv. Mater., 11 1257-1261, 1999. 

Zhou, X.S., et al., Self-assembled nanocomposite of silicon nanoparticles encapsulated in graphene through electrostatic attraction for lithium-ion batteries. Advanced Energy Materials, 2012. 2(9) p. 1086-1090. 

Polymer-mediated self-assembly of nanoparticles provides a versatile and effective approach for the fabrication of new materials. This bottom-up strategy builds up nanocomposite materials from diverse nanosized building blocks by incorporation of molecular-level recognition sites. The flexibility and reversibUity of self-assembly processes imparted by specific molecular interactions facilitates the formation of defect-free superstmctures, and it can be further explored in fields ranging from electronics to molecular biology. 

Zeng H, Li J, Liu JP, Wang ZL, Sun S. Exchange-coupled nanocomposite magnets by nano-particle self-assembly. Nature 2002 420 395-398. 

Lu Y, Yang Y, Sellinger A, Lu M, Huang J, Pan H, Haddad R, Lopez G, Bums AR, Sasaki DY, Shelnutt J, Brinker CJ. Self-assembly of mesoscopically ordered chromatic polydiacety-lene/silica nanocomposites. Nature 2001 410 913-917. 

Yang Y, Lu Y, Lu M, Huang J, Haddad R, Xomeritakis G, Liu N, Malanoski AP, Sturmayr D, Fan H, Sasaki DY, Assink RA, Shelnutt JA, van Swol F, Lopez GP, Bums AR, Brinker CJ. Functional nanocomposites prepared by self-assembly and polymerization of diacetylene surfactants and silicic acid. J Am Chem Soc 2003 125 1269-1277. 

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