Lamellar Self-Assembly Nanostructured Magnetic Materials

Synthesis of lamellar self-assemblies symmetric polystyrene–polybutylmethacrylate (PS–PBMA) copolymers, doped by magnetic nanoparticles was described. Self-assembly is a spontaneous process by which molecules and nanophase entities may materialize into organized aggregates or networks. As soon as particles are coated by a grafted PS layer, they can be confined in the PS layer of the polymeric smectic. The lamellar order was maintained up to volume fractions of particles of 25% as determined by transmission electron microscopy. This volume fraction may be increased by addition of the PS homopolymer to the structure or by increasing the molecular weight of the diblock copolymer.