Controlling the Self-Assembly of Hierarchical PS-b-P4VP Structures Prepared by Dip-Coating and Emulsion Breath Figure Techniques

The breath figure (BF) method is a common laboratory-scale pathway for fabricating porous structures. The emulsion BF approach, one of the BF variations, has attracted increasing attention since it bypasses the high humidity requirement, which is characteristic for the conventional BF method. In this paper, we used the emulsion BF technique with PS-b-P4VP block copolymer (BCP) and SiO₂ nanoparticles (NPs) as the stabilizers for water droplets. We combined this with the dip-coating technique to obtain a hierarchical structure consisting of BF pores and BCP nanodomains. By altering the dip-coating speeds and the NPs’ surface wetting properties and size, the average diameters of BF pores could be controlled. Notably, we were able to achieve both nano and microscale BF pores in the network. The effect of NPs for stabilization and dip-coating parameters on BF pores and BCP nanodomains formation was established, extending the comprehension of this underdeveloped subject.