The fabrication of graphitic thin films with highly dispersed noble metal nanoparticles by direct carbonization of block copolymer inverse micelle templates

Ordered arrays of Au or Ag nanoparticles supported on two-dimensional graphitic carbon films were prepared by direct carbonization of stabilized asymmetric polystyrene-block-poly(4-vinyl pyridine) (PS-b-P4VP) inverse micellar films loaded with metal precursors. Crosslinked PS-b-P4VP thin film templates with metal precursors selectively distributed in P4VP domains were converted to carbonaceous thin films having well-defined, highly dispersed metal nanoparticle (NP) arrays by ultraviolet (UV) irradiation under vacuum and subsequent carbonization. Mesoporous carbon films were also obtained after extracting the metal NPs by sonication in selected solvents. PS-b-P4VP was employed not only as carbon source, but also as template for introducing metal NPs in a nanopatterned configuration. The characteristic features and properties of thus generated hybrid carbon nanostructures were investigated by microscopy, UV-visible spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction measurement, and Raman spectroscopy.