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Fast assembly of bio-inspired nanocomposite films

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Abstract

This paper presents a spin-coating layer-by-layer assembly process to prepare multilayered polyelectrolyte-clay nanocomposites. This method allows for the fast production of films with controlled layered structure. The preparation of a 100-bilayer film with a thickness of about 330 nm needs less than 1 h, which is 20 times faster than conventional dip-coating processes maintaining the same hardness and modulus values. For validation of this technique, nanocomposite films with thicknesses up to 0.5 μm have been created with the common dip self-assembly and with the spin coating layer-by-layer assembly technique from a poly(diallyldimethylammonium)chloride (PDDA) solution and a suspension of a smectite clay mineral (Laponite). Geometrical characteristics (thickness, roughness, and texture) as well as mechanical characteristics (hardness and modulus) of the clay-polyelectrolyte films have been studied. The spin-coated nanocomposite films exhibit clearly improved mechanical properties (hardness 0.4 GPa, elastic modulus 7 GPa) compared to the “pure” polymer film, namely a sixfold increase in hardness and a 17-fold increase in Young’s modulus.

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Acknowledgments

The authors thank F. Mornaghini and T. Wermelinger (LNM ETH Zurich) for assistance during the microscopical studies and S. Olliges [Laboratory for Nanometallurgy (LNM) ETH Zurich] for help carrying out the texture measurements. We thank Dr. R.T. Konradi [Laboratory for Surface Science and Technology (LSST) ETH Zurich] who made the ellipsometer available for analysis of the films.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratory for Clay Mineralogy, Institute for Geotechnical Engineering, ETH Zurich, 8093, Zurich, Switzerland

    Viatcheslav Vertlib, Michael Plötze, Lee Yezek & Alexander M. Puzrin

  2. Department of Materials, ETH Zurich, Laboratory for Nanometallurgy, 8093, Zurich, Switzerland

    Marianne Dietiker & Ralph Spolenak

Authors
  1. Viatcheslav Vertlib
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  2. Marianne Dietiker
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  3. Michael Plötze
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  4. Lee Yezek
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  6. Alexander M. Puzrin
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Correspondence to Michael Plötze.

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Vertlib, V., Dietiker, M., Plötze, M. et al. Fast assembly of bio-inspired nanocomposite films. Journal of Materials Research 23, 1026–1035 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1557/jmr.2008.0147

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1557/jmr.2008.0147

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