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Competition between liquid crystallinity and block copolymerself-assembly in core-shell rod-coil block copolymers
Kishore K Tenneti1, Xiaofang Chen2, Christopher Y Li1
1A. J. Drexel Nanotechnology Institute and Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Drexel University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, USA. chrisli@drexel.edu.
Soft Matter
|September 10, 2020
Summary
The core-shell architecture in rod-coil block copolymers (BCPs) highlights the competition between liquid-crystalline ordering and BCP self-assembly. This study reveals how these two phenomena influence each other in complex BCP systems.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Polymer Chemistry
- Soft Matter Physics
Background:
- Block copolymers (BCPs) exhibit self-assembly into ordered nanostructures.
- Rod-coil BCPs combine rigid rod segments with flexible coil segments.
- Liquid-crystalline ordering can influence or compete with BCP self-assembly.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the interplay between liquid-crystalline ordering and BCP self-assembly in rod-coil systems.
- To elucidate the formation of core-shell architectures in these BCPs.
- To understand the driving forces behind the observed competition.
Main Methods:
- Synthesis of rod-coil block copolymers.
- Characterization using techniques like transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS).
- Analysis of core-shell morphology and liquid-crystalline domain formation.
Main Results:
- The core-shell architecture was successfully formed in the rod-coil BCP system.
- Evidence of competition between liquid-crystalline ordering and BCP self-assembly was observed.
- The specific arrangement within the core-shell structure was influenced by this competition.
Conclusions:
- Core-shell architecture provides a unique platform to study competing self-assembly mechanisms.
- Understanding this competition is crucial for designing novel materials with tailored properties.
- Rod-coil BCPs offer a versatile system for exploring complex phase behavior.
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