Use of block copolymers for preparing conductive nanostructures

1. A method for preparing one or more conductive nanostructures comprising:

providing a composite of nanoparticles and block copolymer, the composite comprising first microdomains and second microdomains, wherein one or more conductive nanoparticles are selectively distributed in the first microdomains;

selectively removing the first microdomains, while leaving the conductive nanoparticles in the composite;

selectively forming one or more conductive nanostructures on the conductive nanoparticles after removal of the first microdomains; and

selectively removing the second microdomains after forming one or more conductive nanostructures on the conductive nanoparticles.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first and second microdomains of the composite are configured in a predetermined pattern.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the providing a composite comprises:

mixing the conductive nanoparticles and the block copolymer; and

inducing self-assembly of the block copolymer into the first microdomains and the second microdomains.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the block copolymer is one or more of polystyrene-b-poly(2-vinylpyridine) (PS-b-P2VP), polystyrene-b-polydimethylsiloxane (PS-b-PDMS), polystyrene-b-poly(methyl methacrylate) (PS-b-PMMA), polystyrene-b-poly(n-hexyl methacrylate) (PS-b-PHMA), polystyrene-b-polyimide (PS-b-PI), polystyrene-b-polybutadiene (PS-b-PB), polystyrene-b-polybutadiene-b-polystyrene (PS-b-PB-b-PS), polystyrene-b-polyimide-b-polystyrene (PS-b-PI-b-PS), poly(methyltetracyclododecene)-b-poly(substituted-2-norbornene) (PMTCDD-b-P2NB), or lysine-b-cysteine.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the conductive nanoparticles comprise a metal, a metal-coated inorganic material or a metal-coated polymer.

6. The method of claim 3 , wherein the inducing self-assembly of the block copolymer comprises heating, UV radiation, or application of an electrical field.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the removing the first microdomains is carried out by chemical treatment, UV radiation, O 3 treatment, plasma treatment, or a combination thereof.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the forming one or more conductive nanostructures comprises reacting metal halide and a coordinating ligand under conditions effective to form organometallic complexes.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the metal halide is a halide salt of a noble metal selected from the group consisting of Au, Pt, Pd, Ni, and Ag.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein the coordinating ligand is an alkylamine, alkylcyanide, or alkylphosphine.

11. The method of claim 8 , wherein the forming one or more conductive nanostructures comprises subjecting the organometallic complexes under conditions effective to convert metal ions in the organometallic complexes to metal atoms.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the removing the second microdomains is carried out by chemical treatment, UV radiation, O 3 treatment, plasma treatment or a combination thereof.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the providing a composite comprises:

providing a block copolymer;

inducing self-assembly of the block copolymer into the first microdomains and the second microdomains; and

adding the conductive nanoparticles to the self-assembled block copolymer to selectively distribute the conductive nanoparticles in the first microdomains.

14. A method for preparing one or more conductive nanostructures comprising:

preparing a conductive layer coated with a block copolymer, wherein the block copolymer comprises first microdomains and second microdomains;

selectively removing the first microdomains of the block copolymer under conditions effective to selectively expose parts of the conductive layer;

etching the exposed parts of the conductive layer after selectively removing the first microdomains; and

removing the second microdomains under conditions effective to prepare one or more conductive nanostructures after etching the exposed parts of the conductive layer.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the preparing a conductive layer coated with a block copolymer comprises:

applying the block copolymer on the conductive layer; and

inducing self assembly of the block copolymer into the first microdomains and the second microdomains.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the inducing self-assembly of the block copolymer comprises heating, UV radiation, or application of an electrical field.

17. The method of claim 15 , further comprising:

preparing a patterned layer on the conductive layer, prior to the applying.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the preparing a patterned layer is carried out by microcontact printing or photolithography.

19. The method of claim 17 , further comprising:

removing the patterned layer, simultaneously, after, or before the etching.

20. The method of claim 15 , wherein the applying the block copolymer is carried out by spin coating, solvent casting, or a polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) stamp.

21. The method of claim 1 , wherein a distribution and/or a shape of the one or more conductive nanostructures is determined by at least one a relative distribution of the first and second microdomains in the block copolymer or a distribution of the conductive nanoparticles in the first microdomain.

22. The method of claim 1 , wherein the forming of the one or more conductive nanostructures is regulated at least in part by the second microdomains.

23. The method of claim 22 , wherein the second microdomains act as a framework to direct the formation of the one or more conductive nanostructures within a space between the second microdomains.

24. The method of claim 23 , wherein the one or more conductive nanostructures are formed in a substantially uniform direction within the space between the second microdomains.

25. The method of claim 14 , wherein a distribution and/or a shape of the one or more conductive nanostructures is determined by a relative distribution of the first and second microdomains in the block copolymer.