Molecular and Structure-Properties Comparison of an Anionically Synthesized Diblock Copolymer of the PS-b-PI Sequence and Its Hydrogenated or Sulfonated Derivatives.

Nikolaos Politakos,Dimitri A Ivanov,Galder Kortaberria,Alexey A Piryazev,Konstantina Tsitoni,Dimitrios Moschovas,Ioannis Moutsios,Denis S Kotlyarskiy,Apostolos Avgeropoulos,Konstantinos Artopoiadis,Gkreti-Maria Manesi

doi:10.3390/polym13234167

Abstract

An approach to obtaining various nanostructures utilizing a well-studied polystyrene-b-poly(isoprene) or PS-b-PI diblock copolymer system through chemical modification reactions is reported. The complete hydrogenation and partial sulfonation to the susceptible carbon double bonds of the PI segment led to the preparation of [polystyrene-b-poly(ethylene-alt-propylene)] as well as [polystyrene-b-poly(sulfonated isoprene-co-isoprene)], respectively. The hydrogenation of the polyisoprene block results in enhanced segmental immiscibility, whereas the relative sulfonation induces an amphiphilic character in the final modified material. The successful synthesis of the pristine diblock copolymer through anionic polymerization and the relative chemical modification reactions were verified using several molecular and structural characterization techniques. The thin film structure–properties relationship was investigated using atomic force microscopy under various conditions such as different solvents and annealing temperatures. Small-angle X-ray scattering was employed to identify the different observed nanostructures and their evolution upon thermal annealing.

Highlights

IntroductionAnionic polymerization has enabled the synthesis of well-defined BCPs exhibiting appealing properties, narrow dispersity and post synthesis modification potential [1,2,3,4,5,6,7]
The technique was employed in order to molecularly molecular homogeneity, narrow dispersity and the absence of any by-products that would characterize the SI sample as well as the chemically modified materials, regarding their be attributed to side reactions in the final modified BCPs
We report the synthesis of the polystyrene-b-poly(isoprene) diblock copolymer through anionic polymerization and the subsequent chemical modifications towards the formation of either the polystyrene-b-poly[(ethylene)-alt-(propylene)] copolymer or polystyrene-bpoly(sulfonated isoprene-co-isoprene)

Summary

Introduction

Anionic polymerization has enabled the synthesis of well-defined BCPs exhibiting appealing properties, narrow dispersity and post synthesis modification potential [1,2,3,4,5,6,7]. As well as to uncommon morphologies, rendering the aforementioned systems suitable for nanotechnology [12,13]. These hierarchically ordered nanostructures are strongly dependent on the segment–segment interaction parameter (χ) [14], the volume fraction of each block (φA , where φB = 1 − φA ) and the total degree of polymerization (N). The use of BCPs in advanced technologies is attributed to their tailored physical and chemical properties originating from their well-defined periodic nanostructures [9]

Methods

Results

Conclusion