文章基本信息

标题：Manipulating the ABCs of self-assembly via low-χ block polymer design
本地全文：下载
作者：Alice B. Chang ; Christopher M. Bates ; Byeongdu Lee 等
期刊名称：Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
印刷版ISSN：0027-8424
电子版ISSN：1091-6490
出版年度：2017
卷号：114
期号：25
页码：6462-6467
DOI：10.1073/pnas.1701386114
语种：English
出版社：The National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
摘要：Block polymer self-assembly typically translates molecular chain connectivity into mesoscale structure by exploiting incompatible blocks with large interaction parameters (χ_ij). In this article, we demonstrate that the converse approach, encoding low-χ interactions in ABC bottlebrush triblock terpolymers (χ_AC ≲ 0), promotes organization into a unique mixed-domain lamellar morphology, which we designate LAM_P. Transmission electron microscopy indicates that LAM_P exhibits ACBC domain connectivity, in contrast to conventional three-domain lamellae (LAM₃) with ABCB periods. Complementary small-angle X-ray scattering experiments reveal a strongly decreasing domain spacing with increasing total molar mass. Self-consistent field theory reinforces these observations and predicts that LAM_P is thermodynamically stable below a critical χ_AC, above which LAM₃ emerges. Both experiments and theory expose close analogies to ABA′ triblock copolymer phase behavior, collectively suggesting that low-χ interactions between chemically similar or distinct blocks intimately influence self-assembly. These conclusions provide fresh opportunities for block polymer design with potential consequences spanning all self-assembling soft materials.
关键词：block polymer ; self-assembly ; polymer nanostructure ; domain spacing ; LAM_P