Spatially correlated metallic nanostructures on self-assembled diblock copolymer templates

Polymeric complexes based on diblock copolymers (polystyrene-block-4-vinylpyridine) hydrogen bonded with pentadecylphenol self-assemble under oscillatory shear flow into a highly ordered lamellar structure (Ikkala et al. Science 2002). Microtomed films of the lamellar structure form an array of "nanosheets" following immersion in methanol. We have exploited this nanosheet array as an extremely effective template to direct the spatial organisation of metallic (Pd) nanoclusters. The electroless deposition metal on the nanotemplates leads to morphologically complex nanostructured metallic films which were observed using atomic force microscopy and scanning electron microscopy.