Multilayered CaCO3/block-copolymer materials via amorphous precursor to crystal transformation

Nacre-type organic/inorganic hybrid multilayers can be fabricated through a continuous polymer-induced liquid precursor (PILP) layer formed underneath a poly(styrene)-block-poly(acrylic acid) (PS-b-PAA) block copolymer monolayer. Subsequent Layer-by-Layer transfer of block copolymer/PILP films leads to a multilayer with organic–inorganic hybrid architecture. The subsequent annealing process transforms the PILP layers into layers of polycrystalline CaCO3, which morphologically resemble that of biogenic nacre.