Directed Self-Assembly of Metallosupramolecular Polymers at the Polymer-Polymer Interface

Directed self-assembly of a metallosupramolecular polymer is achieved at the interface between two polymer films by simple melt pressing. Blends of a 2,6-bis(N-methylbenzimidazolyl)pyridine (MeBip) side-chain functionalized polystyrene in a polystyrene matrix and Zn(NTf₂)₂ in a poly(methyl methacrylate) matrix were pressed together above the T_g of the matrix polymers resulting in diffusion of the components and subsequent self-assembly of the metallosupramolecular polymer at the polymer-polymer interface. The formation of the metallosupramolecular polymer was monitored by spectroscopy and microscopy and it was found that the interfacial self-assembly occurs at the processing temperatures (ca. 210 °C) within 5 min. It was further shown that this materials system resulted in robust films that exhibited a new emergent property, namely, phosphorescence, which is not exhibited by any of the individual components nor the metallosupramolecular polymer itself.