Localized synthesis of polypyrrole in the nanopattern of monolayer films of diblock copolymer micelles.

A single-layered array of polystyrene-block-poly(4-vinylpyridine), PS-PVP, micelles in hexagonal order, fabricated by spin coating, was employed as a nanostructured template for synthesis of polypyrrole, a conducting polymer, in nanometer-sized domains. Oxidative catalysts of FeCl3 for the polymerization were selectively loaded in spherical PVP nanodamains so that they were hexagonally arranged over the film but confined in the nanometer range. The vapor-phase polymerization of pyrrole was localized in the PVP nanodomains, leading to a morphological transition from spherical to wormlike domains. In addition, the nanodomains containing polypyrrole were converted to open cavities by ethanol, a PVP block-selective solvent.