Solid-state nanostructure of PAMAM dendrimer–fluorosurfactant complexes and nanoparticles synthesis within the ionic subphase

Poly(amidoamine) dendrimers are used as building blocks with well-defined shape, functionality and controllable surface charge densities for the complexation with perfluorodecanoic acid. Variation of the generation number G of the PAMAM dendrimers from G=0 to 4 changes the structure of these defined oligoelectrolytic species from planar to spherical, with consequent change in the solid-state structure of the complexes. The structures are elucidated by X-ray analyses. These materials are also applied for the in situ template synthesis of CdS semiconductor particles to produce hydrophobic ordered films incorporating large amounts of well-separated CdS particles.