Morphology tuning in the formation of vaterite crystal thin films with thermoresponsive poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) brush matrices

Abstract

The use of a thermoresponsive polymer brush matrix resulted in the formation and morphology tuning of CaCO₃ crystal thin films. Poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAm) brushes with thickness of approximately 500 nm were synthesized and employed as crystallization templates for CaCO₃. The PNIPAm brush matrix induced the formation of vaterite thin films in the presence of poly(acrylic acid). Moreover, crystallization of CaCO₃ at temperatures above and below the lower critical solution temperature of the PNIPAm brush matrices led to the preparation of vaterite films with distinctly different crystallographic orientations. The approach of using a stimuli-responsive polymer brush matrix may provide a novel way for the development of hybrid coating materials.