Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: ABSTRACT Block copolymers (BCPs) can self‐assemble into various nanostructures, with periodic sizes generally around 20−100 nm. In order to obtain self‐assembled structures with even smaller sizes, it is necessary to design high‐ χ BCPs. It is known that the properties of rod blocks and coil blocks are quite different. Theoretically, microphase separation will occur when χN value is greater than 5 for rod‐coil BCPs. Therefore, ordered structures can be formed even when the total polymerization degree is small. In this work, BCPs containing polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) as a coil block and a rod block, poly[4′‐(methoxy)‐2‐vinylbiphenyl‐4‐methyl ether] (PMVBP), are synthesized. Small‐angle X‐ray scattering (SAXS) is used to characterize the bulk self‐assembled structures of the BCPs. PDMS‐ b ‐PMVBP can form structures including lamellae (LAM), a bicontinuous phase, and hexagonally packed cylinders (HEX). In addition, a LAM structure with a minimum periodic size of 9.34 nm is obtained. Using temperature‐dependent SAXS, the order‐disorder phase transition temperature ( T ODT ) of PDMS‐ b ‐PMVBP is obtained, and the interaction parameter χ at room temperature (25 °C) is calculated to be a high value of 0.632.
Language: English
Subfield: Materials Chemistry
Field: Materials Science
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: bronze
Award: G3180002158
OpenAlex ID: W4412378701