Block Copolymer Chains Research Articles

Optimizing the network topology of block copolymer liquid crystal elastomers for enhanced extensibility and toughness

Molecular simulations are used to study the effect of synthesis conditions on the tensile response of liquid-crystalline elastomers formed by block copolymer chains. Remarkably, it is found that despite the significant presence of trapped entanglements, these networks can exhibit the sawtooth tensile response previously predicted for ideal unentangled networks. It is also found that the monomer concentration during crosslinking can be tuned to limit the extent of entanglements and inhomogeneities while also maximizing network extensibility. It is predicted that networks synthesized at a ``critical'' concentration will have the greatest toughness.

Surface Self-Assembly and Properties of Monolayers Formed by Reverse Poly(butylene oxide)-poly(ethylene oxide)-poly(butylene oxide) Triblock Copolymers with Lengthy Hydrophilic Blocks

The surface behavior and properties of several reverse poly(butylene oxide)-poly(ethylene oxide)-poly(butylene oxide) block copolymers, BO8EO90BO8, BO12EO227BO12, BO14EO378BO14, BO20EO411BO20, and BO21EO385BO21 at the air/water interface have been analyzed by drop tensiometry, Langmuir film balance, and atomic force microscopy (AFM). The kinetic adsorption process of block copolymer chains at the air/water interface is a diffusion-controlled process at short times. Structural rearrangements of the copolymer backbones are progressively more important as the adsorption carries on. The adsorption layers formed at the interface display evident solid-like behavior in the whole range of frequencies analyzed even at the lowest frequencies used probably as a result of the interconnection between hydrophobic ends of polymeric chains. All the copolymer display adsorption isotherm profiles are composed of four different regions in which the different characteristic regimes (“pancake”, mushroom”, “brush”, and collaps...

Sub-10-nm patterning via directed self-assembly of block copolymer films with a vapour-phase deposited topcoat.

Directed self-assembly (DSA) of the domain structure in block copolymer (BCP) thin films is a promising approach for sub-10-nm surface patterning. DSA requires the control of interfacial properties on both interfaces of a BCP film to induce the formation of domains that traverse the entire film with a perpendicular orientation. Here we show a methodology to control the interfacial properties of BCP films that uses a polymer topcoat deposited by initiated chemical vapour deposition (iCVD). The iCVD topcoat forms a crosslinked network that grafts to and immobilizes BCP chains to create an interface that is equally attractive to both blocks of the underlying copolymer. The topcoat, in conjunction with a chemically patterned substrate, directs the assembly of the grating structures in BCP films with a half-pitch dimension of 9.3 nm. As the iCVD topcoat can be as thin as 7 nm, it is amenable to pattern transfer without removal. The ease of vapour-phase deposition, applicability to high-resolution BCP systems and integration with pattern-transfer schemes are attractive properties of iCVD topcoats for industrial applications.

Block copolymer micelles with enzyme molecules at the interfaces

ABSTRACTThis research provides an efficient method for the fabrication of hybrid micelles with enzyme molecules at the interfaces. Amphiphilic block copolymer is synthesized by reversible addition–fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization, and thiol‐modified porcine pancreatic lipase (PPL‐SH) is obtained by treatment of native PPL with Traut's reagent. PPL‐SH is conjugated to the block copolymer chains by thiol‐disulfide exchange reaction. In phosphate buffered saline, the bioconjugate self‐assembles into micelles with enzyme molecules at the interfaces between hydrophobic cores and hydrophilic coronae. The bioactivity of the enzyme molecules on the micelles are compared with the native enzyme. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2017, 55, 2047–2052

Synthesis of Zwitterionic Diblock Copolymers with Cleavable Biotin Groups at the Junction Points and Fabrication of Bioconjugates by Biotin–Streptavidin Coupling

Combinations of synthetic polymers and natural proteins provide a route to the synthesis of new biomaterials. The bioconjugates combining tunable properties of polymers with functionalities of proteins have found broad applications. One of the most challenging problems in this research field is the self-assembly behaviors of responsive polymer–protein bioconjugates. In this research, synthesis and self-assembly of bioconjugates composed of zwitterionic block copolymer and streptavidin were investigated. Block copolymers of poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) and poly[3-dimethyl(methacryloyloxyethyl)ammonium propanesulfonate] (PDMAPS) with cleavable biotin groups at the junction points were synthesized. The zwitterionic block copolymers exhibit phase transitions with upper critical solution temperatures (UCSTs) in aqueous solutions. The concentration of sodium chloride exerts a significant influence on the UCST. The zwitterionic block copolymer chains self-assemble into vesicles in aqueous solution at a temperatur...

Tuning Hydrophobicity To Program Block Copolymer Assemblies from the Inside Out

Hydrophobicity inherently affects a solutes behavior in water, yet how polymer chain hydrophobicity impacts aggregate morphology during solution self-assembly and reorganization is largely overlooked. As polymer and nanoparticle syntheses are easily achieved, the resultant nanoparticle architectures are usually attributed to chain topology and overall degree of polymerization, bypassing how the chains may interact with water during/after self-assembly to elicit morphology changes. Herein, we demonstrate how block copolymer hydrophobicity allows control over aggregate morphology in water and leads to remarkable control over the length of polymeric nanoparticle worms. Polymerization-induced self-assembly facilitated nanoparticle synthesis through simultaneous polymerization, self-assembly, and chain reorganization during a block copolymer chain extension from a hydrophilic poly(N,N-dimethylacrylamide) macro-chain-transfer agent with diacetone acrylamide and N,N-dimethylacrylamide. Slight variations in the m...

Synthesis and characterization of a new hydrogen bonded side chain liquid crystal block copolymer and investigation of electrical properties

Abstract A new PEG-containing liquid crystalline side chain block copolymer HBC-PEG550 was prepared from poly(ethylene glycol)-b-poly(2-(diethylamino) ethyl methacrylate copolymer (BC-PEG550) and 8-(4-cyanobiphenyl-4′-oxy) octan-1-ol (LC8) by molecular self-assembly processes via hydrogen bond formation between amine group of HBC-PEG550 and hydroxyl group of the LC8. The formation of H bond was confirmed by using FTIR spectroscopy. The liquid crystalline behavior of the HBC-PEG550 was investigated by differential scanning calorimeter (DSC) and polarized optical microscopy. Dielectric properties of HBC-PEG550 and HBC-PEG550 has been studied by impedance spectroscopy. Real and imaginary parts of complex dielectric constant, impedance, and energy loss tangent factor for HBC-PEG550 and HBC-PEG550 have been characterized in the frequency range of 100 Hz–15 MHz.

Self-Assembly of AB Diblock Copolymer Confined in a Soft Nano-Droplet: A Combination Study by Monte Carlo Simulation and Experiment.

The self-assembly of AB-type diblock copolymers confined in a three-dimensional (3D) soft nanodroplet is investigated by the combination of Monte Carlo simulation and experiment. The influences of two critical factors, i.e., confinement degree of the imposed confinement space and the interfacial interaction between each individual block and boundary interface, on the 3D soft confined self-assembly are examined systematically. The simulation results reveal that block copolymer chains become more and more folded as the confinement degree (it can be monitored by the ratio of D/L, where L is the length of polymer chain and D is the reduced diameter of the final polymeric particle) is enhanced, causing a series of morphological transitions. Based on the simulation prediction, we perform the corresponding experiments by the 3D confined self-assembly of both symmetric and asymmetric block copolymers within the emulsion droplets. The experimental results well reproduce the confinement degree induced morphological transitions predicted by the simulations, such as the transition from segmented pupa-like particle to hamburger particle and the transition from raspberry-like particle to triangle-like particle, and then to hamburger particle. The current study implies that self-assembled nanostructures under 3D soft confinement can be simply controlled by tuning the confinement degree and interfacial property, i.e., the ratio of D/L and the interfacial interaction between each individual block and boundary interface.

Competition between the micellization and the liquid–liquid phase separation in amphiphilic block copolymer solutions

We have formulated the mixing Gibbs energy density for the micelle phase of an amphiphilic block copolymer solution using mean-field lattice theory. By comparing it with the mixing Gibbs energy density for the homogeneous phase, we have observed the transition between the micellization and the liquid–liquid phase separation. The micellization is preferred over the liquid–liquid phase separation at a higher amphiphilicity and a higher degree of polymerization of the block copolymer chain as well as at a higher incompatibility between the two block chains.

Tuning the Sawtooth Tensile Response and Toughness of Multiblock Copolymer Diamond Networks

Liquid crystalline elastomers of block copolymer chains end-linked into a diamond network have recently been shown to exhibit a sawtooth tensile response to uniaxial deformation [Macromolecules 2014, 47, 840−850], which can provide the basis to design supertough, highly stretchable materials. Molecular dynamics is used to study different chain designs that modulate the number of “teeth” and the strain-orientation dependence of the previously reported tensile response of ABA (25%–50%–25%) chains. Two chain designs with distinct tensile behaviors have been identified. First, ABA (15%–70%–15%) chains with lower backbone stiffness are found to exhibit a stress response independent of the extensional direction by virtue of morphological rearrangements occurring at low strains. Second, ABACA (20%–20%–20%–20%–20%) pentablock chains are found to exhibit a sawtooth response with twice as many “teeth” for a given strain and hence larger toughness. This architecture allows for more gradual chain unfolding events and...

Separating effective high density polyethylene segments from olefin block copolymers using high temperature liquid chromatography with a preloaded discrete adsorption promoting solvent barrier

Recent advances in catalyst technology have enabled the synthesis of olefin block copolymers (OBC). One type is a “hard-soft” OBC with a high density polyethylene (HDPE) block and a relatively low density polyethylene (VLDPE) block targeted as thermoplastic elastomers. Presently, one of the major challenges is to fractionate HDPE segments from the other components in an experimental OBC sample (block copolymers and VLDPE segments). Interactive high temperature liquid chromatography (HTLC) is ineffective for OBC separation as the HDPE segments and block copolymer chains experience nearly identical enthalpic interactions with the stationary phase and co-elute. In this work we have overcome this challenge by using liquid chromatography under the limiting conditions of desorption (LC LCD). A solvent plug (discrete barrier) is introduced in front of the sample which specifically promotes the adsorption of HDPE segments on the stationary phase (porous graphitic carbon). Under selected thermodynamic conditions, VLDPE segments and block copolymer chains crossed the barrier while HDPE segments followed the pore-included barrier solvent and thus enabled separation. The barrier solvent composition was optimized and the chemical composition of fractionated polymer chains was investigated as a function of barrier solvent strength using an online Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) detector. Our study revealed that both the HDPE segments as well as asymmetric block copolymer chains (HDPE block length≫VLDPE block length) are retained in the separation and the barrier strength can be tailored to retain a particular composition. At the optimum barrier solvent composition, this method can be applied to separate effective HDPE segments from the other components, which has been demonstrated using an experimental OBC sample.

Influence of block sequence and molecular weight on morphological, rheological and dielectric properties of weakly and strongly segregated styrene-isoprene triblock copolymers

Abstract In this work, morphological, thermal, viscoelastic and dielectric properties of triblock copolymers consisting of styrene (S) and isoprene (I) blocks are discussed. SIS and ISI triblock copolymers were synthesized by sequential anionic polymerization, three of them exhibiting molecular weights below the entanglement molecular weight Me, three of them exhibiting molecular weights in the order of Me and two of them exhibiting molecular weights above Me. The objective of this work is the investigation of the influence of molecular weight and block sequence on relaxation of the block copolymer chains. Morphological investigations using small angle X-ray scattering and transmission electron microscopy studies reveal that a larger molecular weight is associated with a more pronounced microphase separation. The presence of two glass transition temperatures reveals microphase separation of the PI and PS blocks. The Fox-Flory equation was applied in order to describe the molecular weight dependence of the glass transition temperature of the polyisoprene and the polystyrene blocks. The analysis of rheological data reveals a Maxwell fluid behavior for the weakly segregated block copolymers, whereas for the strongly segregated block copolymers a pronounced elastic behavior at low frequencies of small amplitude shear oscillations was observed. In the intermediate regime of molecular weight, a complex viscoelastic behavior appears. The plateau modulus G N o is influenced by the sequence of the PS and the PI blocks (SIS or ISI). Our analysis of segmental and normal mode relaxation in dielectric spectroscopy experiments show that the relaxation processes are strongly influenced by the block sequence (PI blocks tethered at one or both ends) and the molecular weight. As a result, the block sequence in triblock copolymers influences dynamical properties in the glassy state and in the melt.

Giant soft-memory in liquid crystal nanocomposites

A hybrid nanocomposite comprising 5CB liquid crystal (LC) and block copolymer (BCP) functionalized barium titanate ferroelectric nanoparticles was prepared. This hybrid system exhibits a giant soft-memory effect that was detected by dielectric hysteresis. Spontaneous polarization of ferroelectric nanoparticles couples synergistically with the radially aligned BCP chains to create nanoscopic domains where LC mesogens can align directionally. Such domains can be rotated electromechanically and locked in space even after the removal of the applied electric field. The resulting non-volatile memory is several times larger than the non-functionalized sample and provides an insight into the role of non-covalent polymer functionalization on enhancing the size of the nanoscopic domains.

Critical assessment of "critical" liquid chromatography of block copolymers.

Brief elucidation is presented of potential difficulties the researcher can face in the course of the molecular characterization of block copolymers with help of liquid chromatography under critical conditions. The impediments include the demanding identification of critical conditions, the limited area of applicable polymer molar mass, the high sensitivity of critical conditions toward minute changes in experimental conditions including changes in the interactivity of the column packing, extensive band broadening, limited sample recovery, pressure effects, detection problems, coelution of block copolymers with their noninteractive parent homopolymers, possible effect of the noninteracting chains of block copolymers on the behavior of the interacting blocks, and role of preferential solvation of macromolecules in mixed solvents. These matters may complicate proper data evaluation and challenge the exactness of results obtained. Special attention is paid to the so far neglected phenomena of preferential solvation, which may affect not only detection of block copolymers but also their retention. The latter occurrence is demonstrated by the behavior of both poly(methyl methacrylate)s eluted from bare silica gel in a mixed eluent tetrahydrofuran plus toluene and polystyrenes eluted from silica gel C18 bonded phase with the mobile phase of tetrahydrofuran/n-hexane.

Thermoresponsive behavior of micellar aggregates from end-functionalized PnBA-b-PNIPAM-COOH block copolymers and their complexes with lysozyme.

The temperature response of micellar aggregates of poly(n-butyl acrylate)-b-poly(N-isopropylacrylamide)-carboxylic acid (PnBA-b-PNIPAM-COOH) end-functionalized diblock copolymers in aqueous solutions is investigated by small angle neutron scattering and light scattering techniques. The particular micellar aggregates present -COOH groups at their surface due to the molecular architecture of the block copolymer chains. Above the critical solution temperature micellar aggregation depends on the initial solution concentration, while at the highest polymer content intermicellar correlations are observed as a hard-sphere interaction intensity peak. Addition of lysozyme induces this morphological transition even at low concentrations. The scattering profiles are consistent with lysozyme accumulating in the vicinity of the micellar cores, a finding that is supported by measurements in lysozyme contrast matched solvent. Upon temperature increase negatively charged units are exposed to the surface of the aggregates during thermal transition which is a stabilizing force against the phase separating coil-to-globule transition of poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM).

Highly conductive side chain block copolymer anion exchange membranes.

Block copolymers based on poly(styrene) having pendent trimethyl styrenylbutyl ammonium (with four carbon ring-ionic group alkyl linkers) or benzyltrimethyl ammonium groups with a methylene bridge between the ring and ionic group were synthesized by reversible addition-fragmentation radical (RAFT) polymerization as anion exchange membranes (AEMs). The C4 side chain polymer showed a 17% increase in Cl(-) conductivity of 33.7 mS cm(-1) compared to the benzyltrimethyl ammonium sample (28.9 mS cm(-1)) under the same conditions (IEC = 3.20 meq. g(-1), hydration number, λ = ∼7.0, cast from DMF/1-propanol (v/v = 3 : 1), relative humidity = 95%). As confirmed by small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), the side chain block copolymers with tethered ammonium cations showed well-defined lamellar morphologies and a significant reduction in interdomain spacing compared to benzyltrimethyl ammonium containing block copolymers. The chemical stabilities of the block copolymers were evaluated under severe, accelerated conditions, and degradation was observed by (1)H NMR. The block copolymer with C4 side chain trimethyl styrenylbutyl ammonium motifs displayed slightly improved stability compared to that of a benzyltrimethyl ammonium-based AEM at 80 °C in 1 M NaOD aqueous solution for 30 days.

Tuning the Chirality of Block Copolymers: From Twisted Morphologies to Nanospheres by Self-Assembly.

New advances into the chirality effect in the self-assembly of block copolymers (BCPs) have been achieved by tuning the helicity of the chiral-core-forming blocks. The chiral BCPs {[N=P(R)-O2C20H12](200-x)[N=P(OC5H4N)2](x)}-b-[N=PMePh]50 ((R)-O2C20H12 = (R)-1,1'-binaphthyl-2,2'-dioxy, OC5H4N = 4-pyridinoxy (OPy); x = 10, 30, 60, 100 for 3 a-d, respectively), in which the [N=P(OPy)2] units are randomly distributed within the chiral block, have been synthesised. The chiroptical properties of the BCPs ([α]D vs. T and CD) demonstrated that the helicity of the BCP chains may be simply controlled by the relative proportion of the chiral and achiral (i.e., [N=P(R)-O2C20H12] and [N=P(OPy)2], respectively) units. Thus, although 3 a only contained only 5% [N=P(OPy)2] units and exhibited a preferential helical sense, 3 d with 50% of this unit adopted non-preferred helical conformations. This gradual variation of the helicity allowed us to examine the chirality effect on the self-assembly of chiral and helical BCPs (i.e., 3 a-c) and chiral but non-helical BCPs (i.e., 3 d). The very significant influence of the helicity on the self-assembly of these materials resulted in a variety of morphologies that extend from helical nanostructures to pearl-necklace aggregates and nanospheres (i.e., 3 b and 3 d, respectively). We also demonstrate that the presence of pyridine moieties in BCPs 3 a-d allows specific decoration with gold nanoparticles.

Preparation of a novel polymer monolith with high loading capacity by grafting block poly(PEGA–mPEGA) for high-efficiency solid phase synthesis

The polymer monolith for solid-phase synthesis with high efficiency was prepared through in situ copolymerization of chloromethylstyrene and ethylene glycol dimethacrylate (PCMS–EDMA). The obtained monolith was grafted by two kinds of poly(ethylene glycol) acrylate oligomer, poly(ethylene glycol) acrylate (PEGA) and poly(ethylene glycol) methyl ether acrylate (mPEGA). The monolith was grafted via activators generated by electron transfer atom transfer radical polymerization (AGET ATRP) with the increased number of functional groups (–OH). About 0.61–0.81mmol/g hydroxyl group resulted from side groups in each grafting polymer chain. PmPEGA in the grafting block copolymer chains can increase the distance between the adjacent reactive sites of PEGA (–OH) in each polymer chain. Therefore, the grafted monoliths with the block copolymer of PEGA-co-mPEGA can give high yield (85%) and purity (93%) of the crude peptide (a difficult sequence-acyl carrier protein fragment 65–74) under the condition of high loading capacity (0.76mmol/g). These results were higher than those by the grafted monolith with only polymer of PEGA (72% and 81%, respectively) and commercial Wang resin (43% and 39%, respectively). The synthetic efficiency on the grafted monolith with block copolymer in the continuous flow technique was 5–6 folds higher than Wang resins in the manual operation conditions.

Novel method of the surface modification of the microcrystalline cellulose powder with poly(isobutyl vinyl ether) using mechanochemical polymerization

The surface modification of microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) powder with poly(isobutyl vinyl ether) (PIBVE) chains of block copolymers of MCC and PIVBE (MCC-block-PIBVE) was produced by ball milling of MCC with isobutyl vinyl ether (IBVE) in vacuum at 77K. The polymerization of IBVE was initiated by mechano-cations of MCC (MCC+) on the MCC powder surface in vacuum at 77K. MCC+s located on the surface of MCC powder were produced by heterogeneous scissions of the β-1,4 glycosidic linkages comprising MCC main chain by ball milling in vacuum at 77K, and existed on the powder surface of MCC in vacuum at 77K as cations isolated from counter mechano-anions. The counterion-free MCC+s on the powder surface of MCC interacted with IBVE during milling, covalently bonded to IBVE, and simultaneously formed counterion-free cations (MCC-IBVE+) on the MCC powder surface. The counterion-free MCC-IBVE+s initiated a novel cationic polymerization of IBVE on the surface of MCC powder under vacuum, produced MCC-block-PIBVE, and gave rise to a surface chemical modification of MCC powder with MCC-block-PIBVE. This scheme is supported by 1H NMR, FT-IR, ESR, GPC, and MO calculations.

Anion Conductive Multiblock Copolymers with Long Side Chains for AEM Fuel Cells

Anion Exchange Membrane (AEM) fuel cells are a possible route to overcoming fundamental issues with acid-based fuel cells. The issues include the high cost of platinum catalysts, complex water transport, and sluggish electrochemical reactions, etc. However, the performance of AEM fuel cells is not as good as that of Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) fuel cells because of the limitations of current anion exchange membranes, such as low ionic conductivity, poor stability at high pH, and high water uptake. A series of novel multiblock copoly(arylene ether)s with long side chains were synthesized for AEM fuel cells. The multiblock copolymers were synthesized by polycondensation of separately-prepared hydroxyl-terminated oligomers with fluoro-terminated oligomers. The resulting multiblock structure, in which one block is hydrophilic and one block is hydrophobic, was designed to ensure a nanophase-separated morphology. Multiblock copolymers with different block lengths and ion exchange capacities (IEC) were synthesized to maximize ion conductivity and explore the relationship between chemical structures and properties in anion exchange membranes. Furthermore, copolymers with long side chains exhibited higher stability in high pH environment than their counterparts without long side chains. The degradation mechanism was also studied for the long side chain block copolymers. Financial support from US Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army for Defense Exports and Cooperation (DASA-DE&C) is gratefully acknowledged.