Chem. Mater., 20 (3), 10761081, 2008. 10.1021/cm702088v
Web Release Date: December 22, 2007

Copyright © 2008 American Chemical Society

Polymer Tubes with Longitudinal Composition Gradient by Face-to-Face Wetting

Olaf Kriha, Petra Göring,*§ Marc Milbradt,§ Seema Agarwal, Martin Steinhart, Ralf Wehrspohn,§ Joachim H. Wendorff, and Andreas Greiner

Scientific Center of Materials Science, Department of Chemistry, Philipps-Universität Marburg, Hans-Meerwein-Strasse, D-35032 Marburg, Germany, Department of Physics, Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg, Heinrich Damerow-Strasse 4, D-06120 Halle, Germany, and Max Planck Institute of Microstructure Physics, Weinberg 2, D-06120 Halle, Germany

Received July 30, 2007

Revised Manuscript Received November 12, 2007

Abstract:

Nanoporous and macroporous templates were simultaneously infiltrated from both of their opposite surfaces using model polymers labeled with fluorescent probes or bearing probe molecules detectable by energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy by precursor wetting. Face-to-face wetting with polymeric solutions resulted in partial mixing of both components, leading to tubular nanostructures characterized by a longitudinal composition gradient. Mixing of the components infiltrated from the opposite surfaces could be prevented by face-to-face wetting with polymeric melts, leading to the formation of tubular components predominantly consisting of the pure components that were separated by sharp interfaces.

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