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Weisbord I, Barzilay M, Cai R, Welter E, Kuzmin A, Anspoks A, Segal-Peretz T. The Development and Atomic Structure of Zinc Oxide Crystals Grown within Polymers from Vapor Phase Precursors. ACS NANO 2024; 18:18393-18404. [PMID: 38956949 PMCID: PMC11256898 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.4c02846] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/29/2024] [Revised: 06/19/2024] [Accepted: 06/20/2024] [Indexed: 07/04/2024]
Abstract
Sequential infiltration synthesis (SIS), also known as vapor phase infiltration (VPI), is a quickly expanding technique that allows growth of inorganic materials within polymers from vapor phase precursors. With an increasing materials library, which encompasses numerous organometallic precursors and polymer chemistries, and an expanding application space, the importance of understanding the mechanisms that govern SIS growth is ever increasing. In this work, we studied the growth of polycrystalline ZnO clusters and particles in three representative polymers: poly(methyl methacrylate), SU-8, and polymethacrolein using vapor phase diethyl zinc and water. Utilizing two atomic resolution methods, high-resolution scanning transmission electron microscopy and synchrotron X-ray absorption spectroscopy, we probed the evolution of ZnO nanocrystals size and crystallinity level inside the polymers with advancing cycles─from early nucleation and growth after a single cycle, through the formation of nanometric particles within the films, and to the coalescence of the particles upon polymer removal and thermal treatment. Through in situ Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and microgravimetry, we highlight the important role of water molecules throughout the process and the polymers' hygroscopic level that leads to the observed differences in growth patterns between the polymers, in terms of particle size, dispersity, and the evolution of crystalline order. These insights expand our understanding of crystalline materials growth within polymers and enable rational design of hybrid materials and polymer-templated inorganic nanostructures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Inbal Weisbord
- Department
of Chemical Engineering, Technion −
Israel Institute of Technology, 3200003 Haifa, Israel
| | - Maya Barzilay
- Department
of Chemical Engineering, Technion −
Israel Institute of Technology, 3200003 Haifa, Israel
| | - Ruoke Cai
- Department
of Chemical Engineering, Technion −
Israel Institute of Technology, 3200003 Haifa, Israel
| | - Edmund Welter
- Deutsches
Elektronen-Synchrotron − A Research Centre of the Helmholtz
Association, Notkestrasse
85, D-22607 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Alexei Kuzmin
- Institute
of Solid State Physics, University of Latvia, Kengaraga Street 8, LV-1063 Riga, Latvia
| | - Andris Anspoks
- Institute
of Solid State Physics, University of Latvia, Kengaraga Street 8, LV-1063 Riga, Latvia
| | - Tamar Segal-Peretz
- Department
of Chemical Engineering, Technion −
Israel Institute of Technology, 3200003 Haifa, Israel
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Murataj I, Angelini A, Cara E, Porro S, Beckhoff B, Kayser Y, Hönicke P, Ciesielski R, Gollwitzer C, Soltwisch V, Perez-Murano F, Fernandez-Regulez M, Carignano S, Boarino L, Castellino M, Ferrarese Lupi F. Hybrid Metrology for Nanostructured Optical Metasurfaces. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2023; 15:57992-58002. [PMID: 37991460 PMCID: PMC10739581 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.3c13923] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2023] [Revised: 10/23/2023] [Accepted: 11/07/2023] [Indexed: 11/23/2023]
Abstract
Metasurfaces have garnered increasing research interest in recent years due to their remarkable advantages, such as efficient miniaturization and novel functionalities compared to traditional optical elements such as lenses and filters. These advantages have facilitated their rapid commercial deployment. Recent advancements in nanofabrication have enabled the reduction of optical metasurface dimensions to the nanometer scale, expanding their capabilities to cover visible wavelengths. However, the pursuit of large-scale manufacturing of metasurfaces with customizable functions presents challenges in controlling the dimensions and composition of the constituent dielectric materials. To address these challenges, the combination of block copolymer (BCP) self-assembly and sequential infiltration synthesis (SIS), offers an alternative for fabrication of high-resolution dielectric nanostructures with tailored composition and optical functionalities. However, the absence of metrological techniques capable of providing precise and reliable characterization of the refractive index of dielectric nanostructures persists. This study introduces a hybrid metrology strategy that integrates complementary synchrotron-based traceable X-ray techniques to achieve comprehensive material characterization for the determination of the refractive index on the nanoscale. To establish correlations between material functionality and their underlying chemical, compositional and dimensional properties, TiO2 nanostructures model systems were fabricated by SIS of BCPs. The results from synchrotron-based analyses were integrated into physical models, serving as a validation scheme for laboratory-scale measurements to determine effective refractive indices of the nanoscale dielectric materials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irdi Murataj
- Advanced
Materials and Life Science Division, Istituto
Nazionale Ricerca Metrologica (INRiM), Strada delle Cacce 91, 10135, Torino, Italy
- Dipartimento
di Scienza Applicata e Tecnologia, Politecnico
di Torino, Corso Duca degli Abruzzi, 24, 10129, Torino, Italy
| | - Angelo Angelini
- Advanced
Materials and Life Science Division, Istituto
Nazionale Ricerca Metrologica (INRiM), Strada delle Cacce 91, 10135, Torino, Italy
| | - Eleonora Cara
- Advanced
Materials and Life Science Division, Istituto
Nazionale Ricerca Metrologica (INRiM), Strada delle Cacce 91, 10135, Torino, Italy
| | - Samuele Porro
- Dipartimento
di Scienza Applicata e Tecnologia, Politecnico
di Torino, Corso Duca degli Abruzzi, 24, 10129, Torino, Italy
| | - Burkhard Beckhoff
- Physikalisch-Technische
Bundesanstalt (PTB), Abbestraße 2-12, 10587, Berlin, Germany
| | - Yves Kayser
- Physikalisch-Technische
Bundesanstalt (PTB), Abbestraße 2-12, 10587, Berlin, Germany
| | - Philipp Hönicke
- Physikalisch-Technische
Bundesanstalt (PTB), Abbestraße 2-12, 10587, Berlin, Germany
| | - Richard Ciesielski
- Physikalisch-Technische
Bundesanstalt (PTB), Abbestraße 2-12, 10587, Berlin, Germany
| | - Christian Gollwitzer
- Physikalisch-Technische
Bundesanstalt (PTB), Abbestraße 2-12, 10587, Berlin, Germany
| | - Victor Soltwisch
- Physikalisch-Technische
Bundesanstalt (PTB), Abbestraße 2-12, 10587, Berlin, Germany
| | | | | | - Stefano Carignano
- ICCUB, Universitat de Barcelona, Carrer Martí i Franquès,
1, 08028, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Luca Boarino
- Advanced
Materials and Life Science Division, Istituto
Nazionale Ricerca Metrologica (INRiM), Strada delle Cacce 91, 10135, Torino, Italy
| | - Micaela Castellino
- Dipartimento
di Scienza Applicata e Tecnologia, Politecnico
di Torino, Corso Duca degli Abruzzi, 24, 10129, Torino, Italy
| | - Federico Ferrarese Lupi
- Advanced
Materials and Life Science Division, Istituto
Nazionale Ricerca Metrologica (INRiM), Strada delle Cacce 91, 10135, Torino, Italy
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Weisbord I, Segal-Peretz T. Revealing the 3D Structure of Block Copolymers with Electron Microscopy: Current Status and Future Directions. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2023; 15:58003-58022. [PMID: 37338172 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.3c02956] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/21/2023]
Abstract
Block copolymers (BCPs) are considered model systems for understanding and utilizing self-assembly in soft matter. Their tunable nanometric structure and composition enable comprehensive studies of self-assembly processes as well as make them relevant materials in diverse applications. A key step in developing and controlling BCP nanostructures is a full understanding of their three-dimensional (3D) structure and how this structure is affected by the BCP chemistry, confinement, boundary conditions, and the self-assembly evolution and dynamics. Electron microscopy (EM) is a leading method in BCP 3D characterization owing to its high resolution in imaging nanosized structures. Here we discuss the two main 3D EM methods: namely, transmission EM tomography and slice and view scanning EM tomography. We present each method's principles, examine their strengths and weaknesses, and discuss ways researchers have devised to overcome some of the challenges in BCP 3D characterization with EM- from specimen preparation to imaging radiation-sensitive materials. Importantly, we review current and new cutting-edge EM methods such as direct electron detectors, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy of soft matter, high temporal rate imaging, and single-particle analysis that have great potential for expanding the BCP understanding through EM in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Inbal Weisbord
- Chemical Engineering Department, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa 3200003, Israel
| | - Tamar Segal-Peretz
- Chemical Engineering Department, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa 3200003, Israel
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