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Macromolecular metallurgy of binary mesocrystals via designed multiblock terpolymers
Nan Xie1, Meijiao Liu, Hanlin Deng
1State Key Laboratory of Molecular Engineering of Polymers, Department of Macromolecular Science, Fudan University , Shanghai 200433, China.
Journal of the American Chemical Society
|February 18, 2014
Summary
Multiblock terpolymers self-assemble into diverse binary mesocrystals, mimicking ionic crystal structures. This macromolecular metallurgy approach offers a robust platform for engineering functional materials at the mesoscale.
Area of Science:
- Polymer Science
- Materials Science
- Crystallography
Background:
- Block copolymers self-assemble into ordered phases, enabling soft mesocrystal fabrication.
- Multiblock copolymers offer greater complexity than diblock copolymers for mesocrystal formation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To demonstrate the self-assembly of designed multiblock terpolymers into various binary mesocrystals.
- To explore the control over sphere packing and mesocrystal symmetry through polymer architecture.
Main Methods:
- Design and synthesis of B1AB2CB3 multiblock terpolymers.
- Analysis of self-assembled structures to determine space group symmetries.
Main Results:
- Achieved self-assembly into binary mesocrystals with symmetries of numerous ionic crystals (e.g., NaCl, CsCl, ZnS, CaF2).
- Demonstrated control over sphere packing by adjusting the lengths of the B blocks.
- Showcased potential for generalization to tetrapolymers for ternary mesocrystals.
Conclusions:
- Multiblock copolymers provide a versatile platform for creating complex mesocrystal structures.
- Macromolecular metallurgy enables the production of mesoscale crystal phases with tunable properties.
- This approach facilitates the engineering of novel functional materials.
