Two-dimensional self-assembly of disulfide functionalized bis-acylurea: a nanosheet template for gold nanoparticle arrays.

A new functional bis-acylurea molecule allows a two-stage self-organization process. It self-organizes--at first--into 2D nanosheets with disulfide groups at the surface, which act--in the second stage--as a template for gold nanoparticle arrays.

Toward mass producible ordered bulk heterojunction organic photovoltaic devices.

A strategy to fabricate nanostructured poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) films for organic photovoltaic (OPV) cells by a direct transfer method from a reusable soft replica mold is presented. The flexible polyfluoropolyether (PFPE) replica mold allows low-pressure and low- temperature process condition for the successful transfer of nanostructured P3HT films onto PEDOT/PSS-coated ITO substrates. To reduce the fabrication cost of masters in large area, we employed well-ordered anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) as a template. Also, we provide a method to fabricate reversed nanostructures by exploiting the self-replication of replica molds. The concept of the transfer method in low temperature with a fl…

Template-Based Fabrication of Nanometer-Scaled Actuators from Liquid-Crystalline Elastomers

Reactive nanorods based on activated esterpolymers: a versatile template-assisted approach for the fabrication of functional nanorods

A new route for the fabrication of polymeric nanorods with functional moieties via post-modification of reactive nanorods is described. To this end reactive nanorods with a homogenous and narrow size distribution were fabricated by utilizing an anodic aluminium oxide (AAO) template-assisted approach. The nanorods are based on activated pentafluorophenyl esters, to enable quantitative post-modification with amines under very mild reaction conditions yielding the corresponding functionalized amide. Post-modification with fluorescent dyes as well as the conversion into well-dispersed rod-shaped poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM) hydrogels that exhibit a thermal-responsive phase transition wa…

Mapping of local conductivity variations on fragile nanopillar arrays by scanning conductive torsion mode microscopy.

A gentle method that combines torsion mode topography imaging with conductive scanning force microscopy is presented. By applying an electrical bias voltage between tip and sample surface, changes in the local sample conductivity can be mapped. The topography and local conductivity variations on fragile free-standing nanopillar arrays were investigated. These samples were fabricated by an anodized aluminum oxide template process using a thermally cross-linked triphenylamine-derivate semicondcutor. The nanoscale characterization method is shown to be nondestructive. Individual nanopillars were clearly resolved in topography and current images that were recorded simultaneously. Local current−…

Template-assisted fabrication of free-standing nanorod arrays of a hole-conducting cross-linked triphenylamine derivative: toward ordered bulk-heterojunction solar cells.

Free-standing nanorod arrays of a thermally cross-linked semiconducting triphenylamine were fabricated on conductive ITO/glass substrates via an anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) template-assisted approach. By using a solution wetting method combined with a subsequent thermal imprinting step to fill the nanoporous structure of the template with a cross-linkable triphenylamine derivative, a polymeric replication of the AAO was obtained after thermal curing and selective removal of the template. To obtain well-aligned and free-standing nanorod arrays, aggregation and collapse of the nanorods were prevented by optimizing their aspect ratio and applying a freeze-drying technique to remove the aqueous…

Fabrication of Chemically Tunable, Hierarchically Branched Polymeric Nanostructures by Multi-branched Anodic Aluminum Oxide Templates

In this paper, a template-assisted replication method is demonstrated for the fabrication of hierarchically branched polymeric nanostructures composed of post-modifiable poly(pentafluorophenyl acrylate). Anodic aluminum oxide templates with various shapes of hierarchically branched pores are fabricated by an asymmetric two-step anodization process. The hierarchical polymeric nanostructures are obtained by infiltration of pentafluorophenyl acrylate with a cross-linker and photoinitiator, followed by polymerization and selective removal of the template. Furthermore, the nanostructures containing reactive pentafluorophenyl ester are modified with spiropyran amine via post-polymerization modifi…