Selective self-assembly of surface-functionalized carbon nanotubes in block copolymer template

Microphase-separated styrene-butadiene-styrene (SBS) triblock copolymer was utilized as a template for the selective self-assembly of polystyrene (PS)-functionalized carbon nanotubes (CNTs) in the PS phase. It was also found that PS-functionalized CNTs could be accommodated in the PS phase of SBS regardless of the molecular weight of the PS ligand. This is different from the case for assembling nanoparticles or nanorods with a block copolymer, in which the ligand should be shorter than the corresponding block such that the nanoparticles or nanorods can be incorporated into that block. This phenomenon is explained based on the different chain morphologies of the ligands functionalizing the CNTs, nanoparticles and nanorods.