Eur. Phys. J. E 6, 351-358 (2001)

Hindered ion diffusion in polyelectrolyte/montmorillonite multilayers: Toward compartmentalized films

B. Struth¹, M. Eckle¹, G. Decher¹, R. Oeser², P. Simon³, D.W. Schubert³ and J. Schmitt<sup>1

1</sup>  Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Institut Charles Sadron, 6 rue Boussingault, F-67083 Strasbourg-Cedex, France
²  GKSS Forschungzentrum Geesthacht GmbH, Max-Planck-Strasse, D-21502 Geesthacht, Germany
³  Université Louis Pasteur (ULP), 1 rue Blaise Pascal, F-67008 Strasbourg-Cedex, France

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(Received 31 July 2000 and Received in final form 18 May 2001)

Abstract
This report describes the construction of multicomposite ultrathin films using the layer-by-layer assembly technique. The films are built-up with two different architectures: with and without a layer composed of the inorganic nanosheets of the clay mineral montmorillonite. Using two techniques of characterization, neutron reflectometry (for deuterated polyelectrolytes) and absorbance spectroscopy (for ion-sensitive dyes), it is demonstrated that the mineral layer acts as a barrier for the transport of ions along the film normal.

PACS
68.65.-k - Low-dimensional, mesoscopic, and nanoscale systems: structure and nonelectronic properties.
81.07.Pr - Organic-inorganic hybrid nanostructures.
81.16.Fg - Supramolecular and biochemical assembly.


© EDP Sciences, Società Italiana di Fisica, Springer-Verlag 2001