Abstract

Poly(ethylene oxide)-block-poly(ε-caprolactone) (PEO-b-PCL) is a heavily investigated amphiphilic crystalline-crystalline diblock copolymer. Its macroscopic physical properties are influenced by the crystallization behavior, which is robust due to similar crystallization temperatures of PEO and PCL. As such, tailoring the crystallinity and crystalline morphology should be advantageous to achieving desired changes in film properties. One method to manipulate the crystallization, analyzed here, is the selective solvation of one block during solvent casting. By careful solvent selection, the crystallization of PEO and PCL during solvent evaporation led to changes in relative crystallinity and film morphology. The effect of environmental humidity on the crystallization mechanism and relative block crystallization was explored in detail using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy.

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