Micelles of imidazolium-functionalized polystyrene diblock copolymers investigated with neutron and light scattering

We synthesize a series of block copolymers comprising a polystyrene (PS) block and an imidazolium-functionalized PS (IL) block and characterize their assembly properties. We use small-angle neutron scattering and dynamic light scattering to determine the micelle size and shape in dilute solutions and to assess the micelle interactions in concentrated solutions. By studying a series of copolymers with fixed PS block length, we find that the length of the IL block governs the micelle dimensions. Our data suggest that these copolymers form elongated micelle structures where the IL block is extended in the micelle core. We find that these micelles can sequester water and that interactions between the micelles lead to structure factor peaks at elevated concentrations.