Efficient horizontal lifting and annealing method for creating alternating multilayer structures with hard and soft multi-particle layers

•Alternating multilayer structure was created by the horizontal lifting method.•The regularity of alternating multilayers was improved by annealing.•Rapid compression of the horizontal lifting method resulted in dechaining.•The desorbed chain was able to remove by the solvent.•Slow compression suppressed the occurrence of chain-desorption. An efficient process for manufacturing Nano-mille-feuille/alternating multi-particle layers was developed, in order to elucidate the origin of the physical properties associated with long-period stacking ordered structures. The conventional process employing the upstroke Langmuir-Blodgett method requires approximately five days. Comparatively, the developed process employing the horizontal lifting method, which involved two Langmuir troughs, was shortened to one day. Alternating multi-particle layer was obtained by dividing the horizontal, long trough into two sections, and alternate single-particle layers of polymer and inorganic nanoparticles were transferred to the substrate. However, out-of-plane X-ray diffraction confirmed that there was a significant decrease in the order of the layers. To compensate for any poor order, the samples were annealed at mild temperatures to rearrange the particles. Annealing at 50 °C for 60 h significantly improved the order of the layers (hereinafter layered order) in the alternating multi-particle layers. In addition, increasing the compression rate after horizontal adhesion induced desorption of the organically modified chain of alternating multi-particle layers, which also improved the layered order after annealing. Solvent treatment or low-speed compression can be used to prevent desorption of the components.