Janus Discs

Abstract

We describe the synthesis and the solution properties of sheet- and disclike Janus particles, containing an inner crosslinked polybutadiene (PB) layer and two different outer sides of polystyrene (PS) and poly(tert-butyl methacrylate) (PtBMA). The structures formed upon adsorption of the flat Janus particles onto solid substrates as well as in THF solution are investigated. The Janus discs are obtained in a template-assisted synthetic pathway followed by sonication. Selectively crosslinking the lamellar PB domains in a well-ordered lamellar microphase-separated bulk morphology of PS-block-PB-block-PtBMA (SBT) block terpolymers leads to the conservation of the compartmentalization of the two outer blocks. Sonication of the crosslinked block terpolymer templates renders soluble sheet- and disclike Janus particles, the size of which can be tuned from the micrometer range down to the nanometer scale. Small-angle X-ray scattering, transmission electron microscopy, dynamic light scattering, scanning force microscopy, and scanning electron microscopy are used to characterize the template-assisted synthetic process and the solution properties. Cryogenic transmission electron microscopy in THF and TEM of particles, embedded into a photo-crosslinkable silicon oil, indicate a supramolecular aggregation behavior of the Janus discs in concentrated solutions. Pendant drop tensiometry demonstrates that Janus sheets and discs can be used to stabilize liquid-liquid interfaces, rendering these materials interesting for future applications.