Selective Embedding of P2VP Coated Pd Nanoparticles in PS-b-P2VP Block Copolymers

Nanocomposite films with palladium nanoparticles were prepared in a block copolymer with different morphologies. Poly(2-vinylpyridine) (P2VP) and polystyrene-b-poly(2-vinylpyridine) (PS-b-P2VP) block copolymers were synthesized by living anionic polymerization using a vacuum apparatus system. To fabricate the nanocomposites, palladium nanoparticles with P2VP chains on their surfaces, which were prepared by alcohol reduction (Pd-P2VP) were introduced to the block copolymers. These palladium nanoparticles (4 nm) were embedded selectively in the P2VP domain of PS-b-P2VP. Various nanocomposites with different morphologies were obtained as the volume ratio of the block copolymer and the amount of Pd-P2VP nanoparticles. The block copolymers, nanoparticles and nanocomposites were analyzed by size exclusion chromatography (SEC), H-1 nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (H-1 NMR), UV/Vis spectroscopy (UV/Vis), and energy filtering-transmission electron microscopy (EF-TEM).