Stretchable Sponge-like Hydrogels with a Unique Colloidal Network Produced by Polymerization-Induced Microphase Separation

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xin Ning Zhang ◽  
Cong Du ◽  
Zhou Wei ◽  
Miao Du ◽  
Qiang Zheng ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Microphase Separation

Morphological studies of linear (AB)n multiblock copolymers and their blends

1992 ◽  
Vol 50 (1) ◽  
pp. 384-385
Author(s):  
Richard J. Spontak ◽  
Steven D. Smith ◽  
Arman Ashraf
Keyword(s):  
Electron Microscopy ◽  
Microphase Separation ◽  
Multiblock Copolymers ◽  
First Order ◽  
Morphological Studies ◽  
Transmission Electron ◽  
First Order Phase Transition ◽  
Covalently Bonded ◽  
Total Molecular Weight ◽  
First Order Phase

Block copolymers are composed of sequences of dissimilar chemical moieties covalently bonded together. If the block lengths of each component are sufficiently long and the blocks are thermodynamically incompatible, these materials are capable of undergoing microphase separation, a weak first-order phase transition which results in the formation of an ordered microstructural network. Most efforts designed to elucidate the phase and configurational behavior in these copolymers have focused on the simple AB and ABA designs. Few studies have thus far targeted the perfectly-alternating multiblock (AB)n architecture. In this work, two series of neat (AB)n copolymers have been synthesized from styrene and isoprene monomers at a composition of 50 wt% polystyrene (PS). In Set I, the total molecular weight is held constant while the number of AB block pairs (n) is increased from one to four (which results in shorter blocks). Set II consists of materials in which the block lengths are held constant and n is varied again from one to four (which results in longer chains). Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) has been employed here to investigate the morphologies and phase behavior of these materials and their blends.

scholarly journals Quadruple Hydrogen Bond-Containing A-AB-A Triblock Copolymers: Probing the Influence of Hydrogen Bonding in the Central Block

Molecules ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 26 (15) ◽  
pp. 4705
Author(s):  
Boer Liu ◽  
Xi Chen ◽  
Glenn A. Spiering ◽  
Robert B. Moore ◽  
Timothy E. Long
Keyword(s):  
Hydrogen Bonding ◽  
Self Assembly ◽  
Microphase Separation ◽  
Triblock Copolymers ◽  
Random Copolymer ◽  
Thermomechanical Properties ◽  
Structure Property ◽  
Scanning Calorimetry ◽  
Central Block ◽  
Quadruple Hydrogen Bonding

This work reveals the influence of pendant hydrogen bonding strength and distribution on self-assembly and the resulting thermomechanical properties of A-AB-A triblock copolymers. Reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer polymerization afforded a library of A-AB-A acrylic triblock copolymers, wherein the A unit contained cytosine acrylate (CyA) or post-functionalized ureido cytosine acrylate (UCyA) and the B unit consisted of n-butyl acrylate (nBA). Differential scanning calorimetry revealed two glass transition temperatures, suggesting microphase-separation in the A-AB-A triblock copolymers. Thermomechanical and morphological analysis revealed the effects of hydrogen bonding distribution and strength on the self-assembly and microphase-separated morphology. Dynamic mechanical analysis showed multiple tan delta (δ) transitions that correlated to chain relaxation and hydrogen bonding dissociation, further confirming the microphase-separated structure. In addition, UCyA triblock copolymers possessed an extended modulus plateau versus temperature compared to the CyA analogs due to the stronger association of quadruple hydrogen bonding. CyA triblock copolymers exhibited a cylindrical microphase-separated morphology according to small-angle X-ray scattering. In contrast, UCyA triblock copolymers lacked long-range ordering due to hydrogen bonding induced phase mixing. The incorporation of UCyA into the soft central block resulted in improved tensile strength, extensibility, and toughness compared to the AB random copolymer and A-B-A triblock copolymer comparisons. This study provides insight into the structure-property relationships of A-AB-A supramolecular triblock copolymers that result from tunable association strengths.

scholarly journals Impact of Macrodiols on the Morphological Behavior of H12MDI/HDO-Based Polyurethane Elastomer

Polymers ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (13) ◽  
pp. 2060
Author(s):  
Shazia Naheed ◽  
Mohammad Zuber ◽  
Mahwish Salman ◽  
Nasir Rasool ◽  
Zumaira Siddique ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Molecular Weight ◽  
Contact Angle ◽  
Chain Length ◽  
Microphase Separation ◽  
Soft Segment ◽  
Group Identification ◽  
Degree Of Crystallinity ◽  
Polyurethane Elastomers ◽  
Hard Segments ◽  
Morphological Behavior

In this study, we evaluated the morphological behavior of polyurethane elastomers (PUEs) by modifying the soft segment chain length. This was achieved by increasing the soft segment molecular weight (Mn = 400–4000 gmol−1). In this regard, polycaprolactone diol (PCL) was selected as the soft segment, and 4,4′-cyclohexamethylene diisocyanate (H12MDI) and 1,6-hexanediol (HDO) were chosen as the hard segments. The films were prepared by curing polymer on Teflon surfaces. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) was utilized for functional group identification in the prepared elastomers. FTIR peaks indicated the disappearance of −NCO and −OH groups and the formation of urethane (NHCOO) groups. The morphological behavior of the synthesized polymer samples was also elucidated using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) techniques. The AFM and SEM results indicated that the extent of microphase separation was enhanced by an increase in the molecular weight of PCL. The phase separation and degree of crystallinity of the soft and hard segments were described using X-ray diffraction (XRD). It was observed that the degree of crystallinity of the synthesized polymers increased with an increase in the soft segment’s chain length. To evaluate hydrophilicity/hydrophobicity, the contact angle was measured. A gradual increase in the contact angle with distilled water and diiodomethane (38.6°–54.9°) test liquids was observed. Moreover, the decrease in surface energy (46.95–24.45 mN/m) was also found to be inconsistent by increasing the molecular weight of polyols.

Flexible coatings with microphase separation structure attained by copolymers and ultra-fine nanoparticles for endurable antifouling

2021 ◽  
Vol 82 ◽  
pp. 179-186
Author(s):  
Zhuo Chen ◽  
Shun Chen ◽  
Yufei Xiong ◽  
Yuping Yang ◽  
Yang Zhang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Microphase Separation

Bilayer PMMA antireflective coatings via microphase separation and MAPLE

2020 ◽  
Vol 41 (2) ◽  
pp. 164-173
Author(s):  
Yunlong Guo ◽  
Shuzhen Ren
Keyword(s):  
Microphase Separation ◽  
Incident Light ◽  
Visible Range ◽  
Laser Evaporation ◽  
Antireflective Coatings ◽  
Porous Network ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Polymer Thin Film ◽  
Deposition Parameters ◽  
Surface Morphologies

Abstract A poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) bilayer antireflective coating (ARC) is designed based on polymeric microphase separation and matrix-assisted pulsed laser evaporation (MAPLE). The spin-coated layer shows subwavelength porous network structures, after phase separation via annealing and removal of the polystyrene (PS) phase, while the MAPLE deposited surface layer exhibits a biomimic moth-eye structure on glass to trap the incident light. The elaborate spin coated structure can be controlled flexibly by changing the ratio of mixture, annealing time and temperature, and the moth-eye structure can also be tuned by deposition parameters. The transmittance of the ARC presents a maximum of 95.64% and an average of 94.81% in visible range. The moth-eye structure on glass substrate formed by nanoglobules makes positive contributions to the improvement of transmittance according to UV–Vis result and simulation. The wetting motion of PMMA globules is observed as well by the comparison of AFM surface morphologies and cross-sectional profiles of globules on glass and polymer thin film. This work is a novel attempt to fabricate bilayer ARC with two different structures by a single polymeric material and will provide new route for fabrication of multilayer ARCs.

scholarly journals Author Correction: Transcription organizes euchromatin via microphase separation

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Lennart Hilbert ◽  
Yuko Sato ◽  
Ksenia Kuznetsova ◽  
Tommaso Bianucci ◽  
Hiroshi Kimura ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Microphase Separation

scholarly journals Liquid Crystal Ordering in the Hexagonal Phase of Rod-Coil Diblock Copolymers

Polymers ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (6) ◽  
pp. 1262
Author(s):  
Mikhail A. Osipov ◽  
Maxim V. Gorkunov ◽  
Alexander A. Antonov
Keyword(s):  
Liquid Crystal ◽  
Order Parameter ◽  
Density Functional ◽  
Diblock Copolymers ◽  
Microphase Separation ◽  
Hexagonal Phase ◽  
Orientational Order ◽  
Order Parameters ◽  
Copolymer Composition ◽  
Rigid Rod

Density functional theory of rod-coil diblock copolymers, developed recently by the authors, has been generalised and used to study the liquid crystal ordering and microphase separation effects in the hexagonal, lamellar and nematic phases. The translational order parameters of rod and coil monomers and the orientational order parameters of rod-like fragments of the copolymer chains have been determined numerically by direct minimization of the free energy. The phase diagram has been derived containing the isotropic, the lamellar and the hexagonal phases which is consistent with typical experimental data. The order parameter profiles as functions of temperature and the copolymer composition have also been determined in different anisotropic phases. Finally, the spatial distributions of the density of rigid rod fragments and of the corresponding orientational order parameter in the hexagonal phase have been calculated.

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