Photolithographic processing of silver loaded dielectric coatings based on preformed colloidal TiO2 nanoparticles dispersed in a mesoporous silica binder.

Titanium dioxide is a well known photocatalyst for reactions involving surface trapped photogenerated carriers. Noble metal photo-reduction may be used for the processing of silver/TiO(2) nanocomposite coatings that may exhibit interesting optical and electrical properties. We present here results of our investigations performed on an original system consisting of preformed colloidal TiO(2) nanoparticles homogeneously dispersed within a mesoporous silica host matrix.

A novel elastomer/liquid crystal polymer nanocomposite created in situ from controlled radical graft-polymerization.

We present the original design and properties of a novel, all-polymer hierarchical composite comprising an elastomer and a fluorinated liquid crystal polymer. The material follows from the phase separation between the two highly incompatible components, occuring in situ during the controlled radical graft-polymerization of the liquid crystal monomer onto functionalized elastomeric chains. We demonstrate that the composite remarkably combines the mechanical properties, static and dynamic, of both an elastomer and a semi-crystalline polymer.