Bottlebrush polymer patches template heterometal growth on a gold nanoparticle surface

Abstract

We report a new bottlebrush copolymer (BBCP) ligand design as robust patches for gold nanoparticles (Au NPs) to construct a rigid template guiding heterometal deposition on the surface. Given the spatial congestion of the side chains, the BBCP rapidly forms dense and stationary patches on Au NPs and effectively blocks additional metal deposition. Reducing solvent quality varies the phase segregation of the BBCP and subsequently restricts metal deposition to specific locations, fabricating diverse bimetallic heterostructures. The resulting morphology exhibits a unique orientation-dependent scattering property that thermodynamic configuration cannot achieve.