'Bricks and mortar' nanoparticle self-assembly using polymers

Developments in self-assembly methods allow access to hierarchical materials featuring a wide range of functionality and applications. Polymer-based self-assembly of nanoparticles opens up new avenues for the fabrication of highly structured nanocomposites that can serve as bridges between 'bottom-up' and 'top-down' methods. Of various interactions leading to self-assembly of nanocomposites, hydrogen bonding and electrostatic interactions are commonly utilized. In this review, we illustrate the design and subsequent property tuning of various self-assembled nanocomposite materials that were developed based on these interactions. (C) 2007 Society of Chemical Industry.