Ordered nanostructured ceramic-metal composites through multifunctional block copolymer-metal nanoparticle self-assembly

A novel strategy for fabrication of ordered ceramic-metal nanocomposites was demonstrated by multifunctional block copolymer/metal nanoparticle self-assembly. Hybrid organic-inorganic block copolymer poly(3-methacryloxypropyl-T8-heptaisobutyl-polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane-block-N,N-dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate) was synthesized and used as a bi-functional structure directing agent for ligand-stabilized platinum nanoparticles to form ordered organic-inorganic nanocomposites with dense loading of inorganic species in both microphase separated domains. Subsequently, thin films of the hybrid material were converted to ordered silica (ceramic)-platinum (metal) nanocomposites via UV-assisted ozonolysis. This is the first time ordered ceramic-metal nanocomposites were achieved through a bottom-up approach, opening up opportunities for the design and synthesis of a broad range of ordered inorganic-inorganic nanocomposites.