Amino-functionalized breath-figure cavities in polystyrene-alumina hybrid films: effect of particle concentration and dispersion.

We report the formation of breath-figure (BF) patterns with amino-functionalized cavities in a BF incompatible polystyrene (PS) by incorporating functionalized alumina nanoparticles. The particles were amphiphilic-modified and the modifier ratio was regulated to achieve a specific hydrophobic/hydrophilic balance of the particles. The influence of the physical and chemical properties of the particles like particle concentration, the hydrophobic/hydrophilic balance, etc.

Improved dielectric and mechanical properties of polystyrene-hybrid silica sphere composite induced through bifunctionalization at the interface.

Hybrid silica spheres (HS) of size 270-350 nm with vinyl and aminopropyl surface groups were incorporated in polystyrene (PS), and its effect on dielectric properties, coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE), and strength of PS-HS composite was studied. Incorporation of HS in PS followed a decrease in the dielectric constant from 3.2 for PS to 2.

Micropatterned surfaces through moisture-induced phase-separation of polystyrene-clay nanocomposite particles.

We report micropatterned polystyrene-clay nanocomposite (PCN) surfaces with concavities by moisture-induced phase separation of PCN particles. Micropatterned film with concavity size of 800 nm to 1.3 microm and a high number density of 2 x 10(8) features/cm(2) was obtained by drop-casting PCN solution (20 mg/mL PCN/THF) under ambient relative humidity of 70-80%.

Nanostructured multifunctional electromagnetic materials from the guest-host inorganic-organic hybrid ternary system of a polyaniline-clay-polyhydroxy iron composite: preparation and properties.

A nanostructured electromagnetic polyaniline-polyhydroxy iron-clay composite (PPIC) was prepared by oxidative radical emulsion polymerization of aniline in the presence of polyhydroxy iron cation (PIC) intercalated clays. Morphological observation through SEM, TEM, and AFM suggested the formation of self-assembled nanospheres of PIC with self-assembled PANI engulfed over PIC, and the presence of iron in PPIC was confirmed by the EDS analysis. XRD studies revealed that PPIC are comprised of exfoliated clay layers with PIC in the distorted spinel structure.

Microvesicles through self-assembly of polystyrene-clay nanocomposite.

Polystyrene-clay nanocomposite (PCN) particles, which exhibited concentration dependent self-assembling property in THF were synthesized by in situ intercalative polymerization of styrene with vinyl POSS amine-modified organoclay. While the particles from dilute solution of 0.001 mg mL(-1) showed a lateral dimension of 190-800 nm and thickness of 120 nm, microvesicles of diameter of 2.