Confined Crystallization of Polyethylene Oxide in Nanolayer Assemblies

• DOI: 10.1126/science.1164601
• Publication Date: 2009-02-07T04:02:12Z
• Authors: Haopeng Wang; Jong K. Keum; Anne Hiltner; Eric Baer; Benny Freeman; Artur Rozanski; Andrzej Galeski
• Keywords: Polyethylene oxide; Nanometre

The design and fabrication of ultrathin polymer layers are increasing importance because the rapid development nanoscience nanotechnology. Confined, two-dimensional crystallization polymers presents challenges opportunities due to long-chain, covalently bonded nature macromolecule. Using an innovative layer-multiplying coextrusion process obtain assemblies with thousands nanolayers, we discovered a morphology that emerges as confined polyethylene oxide (PEO) made progressively thinner. When thickness is 20 nanometers, PEO crystallizes single, high-aspect-ratio lamellae resemble single crystals. Unexpectedly, habit imparts two orders magnitude reduction in gas permeability.