Directed assembly of barium titanate nanopeapods via solvothermal processing with a mixed surfactant system

Barium titanate (BaTiO 3 ) peapod nanocomposites were prepared by the controlled capture of nanoparticles (NPs) in scrolling hexaniobate (HNB) nanosheets. BaTiO 3 NPs and proton-exchanged potassium hexaniobate were treated solvothermally at 220 °C for 6 h in toluene to produce linear NP chains confined within multiwalled HNB nanoscrolls. This method consistently produced nanopeapods with average filling fractions greater than 70%. The controlled introduction of nanocomponents along with a combination of oleylamine and oleic acid surfactants was critical to the success of these reactions. The ability to form BaTiO 3 @HNB significantly expands the number of important peapod composites accessible by the controlled NP capture.