Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Characteristics and Nomenclature of Copolymers01:24

Characteristics and Nomenclature of Copolymers

Copolymers are the products obtained from the polymerization of multiple monomer species. So, in a polymer chain itself, there can be multiple repeating units that come from different monomers. The process of synthesizing a polymer from different monomer species is called copolymerization. When two monomers are involved, the polymer is known as a bipolymer. Polymers with three and four monomers are termed terpolymers and quaterpolymers, respectively. Figure 1 depicts the copolymerization of...
Step-Growth Polymerization: Overview01:03

Step-Growth Polymerization: Overview

Step-growth or condensation polymerization is a stepwise reaction of bi or multifunctional monomers to form long-chain polymers. As all the monomers are reactive, most of the monomers are consumed at the early stages of the reaction to form small chains of reactive oligomers, which then combine to form long polymer chains in the late stages. Hence, the reaction has to proceed for a long time to achieve high molecular weight polymers.
Many natural and synthetic polymers are produced by...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Comparison of visual outcomes of phakic intraocular lens implantation in keratoconus and normal eyes.

International ophthalmology·2026
Same author

Phase behavior, self-assembly, and interfacial tension of a dynamically linked polymer blend.

The Journal of chemical physics·2026
Same author

Processing-Driven Control of the Properties of Polymer Grafted Nanoparticle Composites.

ACS nano·2026
Same author

Postdilation Strategies Following Provisional Stenting of Left Main Coronary Bifurcations: Insights From Patient-Specific Computational Simulations.

JACC. Advances·2026
Same author

Effects of Concentration, Salinity and Temperature on the Conformations of Zwitterionic Poly(2-Vinylpyridine‑<i>N</i>‑Oxide) Chains in Semidilute Solutions Probed by Small-Angle X‑Ray and Neutron Scattering.

Macromolecules·2026
Same author

Neutron Reflectometry Reveals Diffusion in Contrast-Matched Brush Particle Bilayers.

ACS macro letters·2026

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 11, 2026

Anionic Polymerization of an Amphiphilic Copolymer for Preparation of Block Copolymer Micelles Stabilized by &#960;-&#960; Stacking Interactions
10:53

Anionic Polymerization of an Amphiphilic Copolymer for Preparation of Block Copolymer Micelles Stabilized by π-π Stacking Interactions

Published on: October 10, 2016

14.1K

Hiking down the Free Energy Landscape Using Sequential Solvent and Thermal Processing for Versatile Ordering of Block

Kshitij Sharma1, Aman Agrawal1, Ali Masud1

  • 1William A. Brookshire, Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, University of Houston, Houston, Texas 77204, United States.

ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces
|April 21, 2023
PubMed
Summary

Accelerate block copolymer (BCP) ordering using a combined solvent and thermal annealing approach. This method rapidly achieves low free energy structures by reducing activation energy barriers, offering broader applications in complex material processing.

Keywords:
block copolymerdirect immersion annealingneutron reflectivityself-assemblysolvent vapor annealingthermal annealingthin film

More Related Videos

Procedure for the Transfer of Polymer Films Onto Porous Substrates with Minimized Defects
05:02

Procedure for the Transfer of Polymer Films Onto Porous Substrates with Minimized Defects

Published on: June 22, 2019

6.7K
Synthesis of Monodisperse Cylindrical Nanoparticles via Crystallization-driven Self-assembly of Biodegradable Block Copolymers
11:42

Synthesis of Monodisperse Cylindrical Nanoparticles via Crystallization-driven Self-assembly of Biodegradable Block Copolymers

Published on: June 20, 2019

7.9K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 11, 2026

Anionic Polymerization of an Amphiphilic Copolymer for Preparation of Block Copolymer Micelles Stabilized by &#960;-&#960; Stacking Interactions
10:53

Anionic Polymerization of an Amphiphilic Copolymer for Preparation of Block Copolymer Micelles Stabilized by π-π Stacking Interactions

Published on: October 10, 2016

14.1K
Procedure for the Transfer of Polymer Films Onto Porous Substrates with Minimized Defects
05:02

Procedure for the Transfer of Polymer Films Onto Porous Substrates with Minimized Defects

Published on: June 22, 2019

6.7K
Synthesis of Monodisperse Cylindrical Nanoparticles via Crystallization-driven Self-assembly of Biodegradable Block Copolymers
11:42

Synthesis of Monodisperse Cylindrical Nanoparticles via Crystallization-driven Self-assembly of Biodegradable Block Copolymers

Published on: June 20, 2019

7.9K

Area of Science:

  • Materials Science
  • Polymer Science
  • Chemical Engineering

Background:

  • Block copolymer (BCP) film morphology and ordering kinetics are sensitive to processing history.
  • Variability in BCP morphology arises from enthalpic and entropic forces influenced by process history.
  • Understanding the free energy landscape is crucial for controlling BCP ordering and avoiding metastable states.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate a novel processing pathway for rapid achievement of low free energy ordered structures in BCP films.
  • To demonstrate that combining solvent annealing with thermal annealing can overcome kinetic limitations in BCP ordering.
  • To provide insights into controlling BCP morphology through an energy landscape approach.

Main Methods:

  • Utilizing direct immersion annealing (DIA) or solvent vapor annealing (SVA) to reduce the glass-transition temperature of as-cast BCP films.
  • Implementing a sequential thermal annealing (TA) step following solvent annealing to facilitate multi-interface chain rearrangement.
  • Analyzing the free energy landscape to guide the processing strategy for efficient BCP ordering.

Main Results:

  • The combined solvent annealing and short-period TA approach rapidly yields target low-energy ordered structures in BCP films.
  • This method significantly reduces the annealing time compared to standard thermal annealing alone.
  • The process effectively lowers the activation energy barrier, enabling faster ordering.

Conclusions:

  • A hybrid annealing strategy (solvent annealing followed by TA) offers a time-efficient route to ordered BCP structures.
  • This processing approach leverages the free energy landscape to achieve desired material morphologies.
  • The energy landscape-guided processing methodology is potentially applicable to a wide range of complex materials.