"Inversed" surface micelle array fabrication of an amphiphilic block copolymer on water surface

A mixed film of polystyrene-block-poly(4-vinylpyridine) (PS-b-P4VP) with 6-{4-[(4-hexylphenyl)azo]phenoxy}hexanoic acid (6Az5COOH) were prepared on water by co-spreading method. The resulting films were transferred onto mica at various surface pressures. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) and pi-A isotherm measurements revealed that both PS and p4VP blocks in PS-b-P4VP forms spread monolayer on water with the assist of 6Az5COOH at low surface pressures. Upon compression on water, we observed that the P4VP/6Az5COOH parts in the hybrid film are collapsed selectively at an early stage and form dot array morphology. In addition, gold cluster dots were deposited selectively on the dots in the dot array film by metallization based on deposition of HAuCl4 to the P4VP chain and reduction with dimethylamino borane. These results strongly support the fact that the "inversed" surface micelles are formed on water via hybridization of PS-b-P4VP with 6Az5COOH.