“Uncontrolled” Preparation of Disperse Poly(lactide)- block -poly(styrene)- block -poly(lactide) for Nanopatterning Applications

Journal Article · Tue Nov 08 04:00:00 EST 2016 · Macromolecules

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.macromol.6b02014· OSTI ID:1351389

Vanderlaan, Marie E.; Hillmyer, Marc A.

We report the facile synthesis of well-defined ABA poly(lactide)-block-poly(styrene)-block-poly(lactide) (LSL) triblock copolymers having a disperse poly(styrene) midblock (Ð = 1.27–2.24). The direct synthesis of telechelic α,ω-hydroxypoly(styrene) (HO-PS-OH) midblocks was achieved using a commercially available difunctional free radical diazo initiator 2,2'-azobis[2-methyl-N-(2-hydroxyethyl)propionamide]. Poly(lactide) (PLA) end blocks were subsequently grown from HO-PS-OH macroinitiators via ring-opening transesterification polymerization of (±)-lactide using the most common and prevalent catalyst system available, tin(II) 2-ethylhexanoate. Fourteen LSL triblock copolymers with total molar masses Mn,total = 24–181 kg/mol and PLA volume fractions fPLA = 0.15–0.68 were synthesized and thoroughly characterized. The self-assembly of symmetric triblocks was analyzed in the bulk using small-angle X-ray scattering and in thin films using grazing incidence small-angle X-ray scattering and atomic force microscopy. We demonstrate both the bulk and thin film self-assembly of LSL disperse triblocks gave well-organized nanostructures with uniform domain sizes suitable for nanopatterning applications.

• Research Organization: Advanced Photon Source (APS), Argonne National Laboratory (ANL), Argonne, IL (US)
• Sponsoring Organization: NSF
• OSTI ID: 1351389
• Journal Information: Macromolecules, Journal Name: Macromolecules Journal Issue: 21 Vol. 49; ISSN 0024-9297
• Publisher: American Chemical Society
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: ENGLISH

Related Subjects

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY