Miktoarm Stars via Grafting-Through Copolymerization: Self-Assembly and the Star-to-Bottlebrush Transition
- Univ. of California, Santa Barbara, CA (United States)
The grafting-through copolymerization of two distinct macromonomers via ring-opening metathesis polymerization is normally used to form statistical or diblock bottlebrush polymers with large total backbone degrees of polymerization (NBB) relative to that of the side-chains (NSC). Here, we demonstrate that Grubbs-type chemistry in the opposite limit, namely NBB << NSC, produces well-defined materials with excellent control over ensemble-averaged properties, including molar mass, dispersity, composition, and number of branch points. The dependence of self-assembly on these molecular design parameters was systematically probed using small angle X-ray scattering and self-consistent field theoretic simulations. Moreover, our analysis supports the notion that two-component bottlebrush copolymers with small NBB behave like miktoarm star polymers. The star-to-bottlebrush transition is quantifiable for both statistical and diblock sequences by unique signatures in the experimental scaling of domain spacing and simulated distribution of backbone/side-chain density within lamellar unit cells. These findings represent a conceptual framework that simplifies the synthesis of miktoarm star polymers when dispersity in the number of arms and composition can be tolerated. The analytical approach introduced to distinguish chain conformations in complex macromolecules also complements previous methods, for example form factor scattering and rheology.
- Research Organization:
- Univ. of California, Santa Barbara, CA (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES); National Science Foundation (NSF)
- Grant/Contract Number:
- SC0019001; DMR-1720256; CNS-1725797
- OSTI ID:
- 1594102
- Journal Information:
- Macromolecules, Vol. 52, Issue 4; ISSN 0024-9297
- Publisher:
- American Chemical SocietyCopyright Statement
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Web of Science
Theoretical prediction of an isotropic to nematic phase transition in bottlebrush homopolymer melts
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journal | September 2019 |
Molecular dynamics simulation study of linear, bottlebrush, and star-like amphiphilic block polymer assembly in solution
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journal | January 2019 |
Synthesis and Self‐Assembly of Mixed‐Graft Block Copolymers
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journal | May 2019 |
Target-Directed Design of Phase Transition Path for Complex Structures of Rod–Coil Block Copolymers
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journal | November 2019 |
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