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Magruder BR, Morse DC, Ellison CJ, Dorfman KD. Boundary Frustration in Double-Gyroid Thin Films. ACS Macro Lett 2024; 13:382-388. [PMID: 38478981 DOI: 10.1021/acsmacrolett.4c00026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/17/2024]
Abstract
Self-consistent field theory for thin films of AB diblock polymers in the double-gyroid phase reveals that in the absence of preferential wetting of monomer species at the film boundaries, films with the (211) plane oriented parallel to the boundaries are more stable than other orientations, consistent with experimental results. This preferred orientation is explained in the context of boundary frustration. Specifically, the angle of intersection between the A/B interface and the film boundary, the wetting angle, is thermodynamically restricted to a narrow range of values. Most termination planes in the double gyroid cannot accommodate this narrow range of wetting angles without significant local distortion relative to the bulk morphology; the (211)-oriented termination plane with the "double-wave" pattern produces relatively minimal distortion, making it the least frustrated boundary. The principle of boundary frustration provides a framework to understand the relative stability of termination planes for complex ordered block polymer phases confined between flat, nonpreferential boundaries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin R Magruder
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, University of Minnesota Twin Cities, 421 Washington Avenue SE, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - David C Morse
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, University of Minnesota Twin Cities, 421 Washington Avenue SE, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Christopher J Ellison
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, University of Minnesota Twin Cities, 421 Washington Avenue SE, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Kevin D Dorfman
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, University of Minnesota Twin Cities, 421 Washington Avenue SE, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
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2
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Droumaguet BL, Grande D. Diblock and Triblock Copolymers as Nanostructured Precursors to Functional Nanoporous Materials: From Design to Application. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2023; 15:58023-58040. [PMID: 37906520 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.3c09859] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/02/2023]
Abstract
Block copolymers have gained tremendous interest from the scientific community in the last two decades. These macromolecular architectures indeed constitute ideal nanostructured precursors for the generation of nanoporous materials meant for various high added value applications. The parallel emergence of controlled polymerization techniques has notably enabled to finely control their molecular features to confer them with unique structural and physicochemical properties, such as low dispersity values (Đ), well-defined volume fractions, and controlled functionality. The nanostructuration and ordering of diblock or triblock copolymers, which can be achieved through various experimental techniques, including channel die processing, solvent vapor or thermal annealing, nonsolvent-induced phase separation or concomitant self-assembly, and nonsolvent-induced phase separation, allows for the preparation of orientated microphase-separated copolymers whose morphology is dictated by three main factors, i.e., Flory-Huggins interaction parameter between constitutive blocks, volume fraction of the blocks, and polymerization degree. This review article provides an overview of the actual state of the art regarding the preparation of functional nanoporous materials from either diblock or triblock copolymers. It will also highlight the major applications of such peculiar materials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin Le Droumaguet
- Univ Paris Est Creteil, CNRS, Institut de Chimie et des Matériaux Paris-Est (ICMPE), UMR 7182, 2 rue Henri Dunant, Thiais 94320, France
| | - Daniel Grande
- Univ Paris Est Creteil, CNRS, Institut de Chimie et des Matériaux Paris-Est (ICMPE), UMR 7182, 2 rue Henri Dunant, Thiais 94320, France
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3
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Liu R, Sun Z, Huang H, Johnson JA, Alexander-Katz A, Ross CA. Experimental and Computational Evaluation of Self-Assembled Morphologies in Diblock Janus Bottlebrush Copolymers. NANO LETTERS 2023; 23:177-182. [PMID: 36548278 DOI: 10.1021/acs.nanolett.2c03927] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Diblock Janus-type "A-branch-B" bottlebrush copolymers (di-JBBCPs) consist of a backbone with alternating A and B side chains, in contrast to the side chain arrangement of conventional bottlebrush copolymers. As a result, A and B blocks of di-JBBCPs can microphase-separate perpendicular to the backbone, which is located at the interface between the two blocks. A reparametrized dissipative particle dynamics (DPD) model is used to theoretically investigate the self-assembly of di-JBBCPs and to compare with the experimental results of a range of polystyrene-branch-polydimethylsiloxane di-JBBCPs. The experimentally formed cylinder, gyroid, and lamellar morphologies showed good correspondence with the model phase diagram, and the effect of changing volume fraction and backbone length is revealed. The DPD model predicts a bulk-stable perforated lamella morphology together with two unconventional spherical phases, the Frank-Kasper A15 spheres and the hexagonally close-packed spheres, indicating the diversity of morphologies available from complex BCP molecular architectures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Runze Liu
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - Zehao Sun
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - Hejin Huang
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - Jeremiah A Johnson
- Department of Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - Alfredo Alexander-Katz
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - Caroline A Ross
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
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4
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Weng L, Ma M, Yin C, Fei ZX, Yang KK, Ross CA, Shi LY. Synthesis and Self-Assembly of Silicon-Containing Azobenzene Liquid Crystalline Block Copolymers. Macromolecules 2023. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.macromol.2c02343] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Lin Weng
- College of Polymer Science and Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Polymer Materials Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610065, China
| | - Mingchao Ma
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - Chenxiao Yin
- College of Polymer Science and Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Polymer Materials Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610065, China
| | - Zhi-Xiong Fei
- College of Polymer Science and Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Polymer Materials Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610065, China
| | - Ke-Ke Yang
- The Collaborative Innovation Center for Eco-Friendly and Fire-Safety Polymeric Materials (MoE), National Engineering Laboratory of Eco-Friendly Polymeric Materials (Sichuan), College of Chemistry, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610064, China
| | - Caroline A. Ross
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - Ling-Ying Shi
- College of Polymer Science and Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Polymer Materials Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610065, China
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5
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Ntetsikas K, Ladelta V, Bhaumik S, Hadjichristidis N. Quo Vadis Carbanionic Polymerization? ACS POLYMERS AU 2022; 3:158-181. [PMID: 37065716 PMCID: PMC10103213 DOI: 10.1021/acspolymersau.2c00058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2022] [Revised: 12/02/2022] [Accepted: 12/02/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Living anionic polymerization will soon celebrate 70 years of existence. This living polymerization is considered the mother of all living and controlled/living polymerizations since it paved the way for their discovery. It provides methodologies for synthesizing polymers with absolute control of the essential parameters that affect polymer properties, including molecular weight, molecular weight distribution, composition and microstructure, chain-end/in-chain functionality, and architecture. This precise control of living anionic polymerization generated tremendous fundamental and industrial research activities, developing numerous important commodity and specialty polymers. In this Perspective, we present the high importance of living anionic polymerization of vinyl monomers by providing some examples of its significant achievements, presenting its current status, giving several insights into where it is going (Quo Vadis) and what the future holds for this powerful synthetic method. Furthermore, we attempt to explore its advantages and disadvantages compared to controlled/living radical polymerizations, the main competitors of living carbanionic polymerization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Konstantinos Ntetsikas
- Polymer Synthesis Laboratory, KAUST Catalysis Center, Physical Sciences and Engineering Division, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal 23955, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
| | - Viko Ladelta
- Polymer Synthesis Laboratory, KAUST Catalysis Center, Physical Sciences and Engineering Division, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal 23955, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
| | - Saibal Bhaumik
- Polymer Synthesis Laboratory, KAUST Catalysis Center, Physical Sciences and Engineering Division, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal 23955, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
| | - Nikos Hadjichristidis
- Polymer Synthesis Laboratory, KAUST Catalysis Center, Physical Sciences and Engineering Division, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal 23955, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
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6
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Angelopoulou PP, Moutsios I, Manesi GM, Ivanov DA, Sakellariou G, Avgeropoulos A. Designing high χ copolymer materials for nanotechnology applications: A systematic bulk vs. thin films approach. Prog Polym Sci 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.progpolymsci.2022.101625] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
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7
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Ma S, Hou Y, Hao J, Lin C, Zhao J, Sui X. Well-Defined Nanostructures by Block Copolymers and Mass Transport Applications in Energy Conversion. Polymers (Basel) 2022; 14:polym14214568. [PMID: 36365562 PMCID: PMC9655174 DOI: 10.3390/polym14214568] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2022] [Revised: 10/24/2022] [Accepted: 10/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
With the speedy progress in the research of nanomaterials, self-assembly technology has captured the high-profile interest of researchers because of its simplicity and ease of spontaneous formation of a stable ordered aggregation system. The self-assembly of block copolymers can be precisely regulated at the nanoscale to overcome the physical limits of conventional processing techniques. This bottom-up assembly strategy is simple, easy to control, and associated with high density and high order, which is of great significance for mass transportation through membrane materials. In this review, to investigate the regulation of block copolymer self-assembly structures, we systematically explored the factors that affect the self-assembly nanostructure. After discussing the formation of nanostructures of diverse block copolymers, this review highlights block copolymer-based mass transport membranes, which play the role of “energy enhancers” in concentration cells, fuel cells, and rechargeable batteries. We firmly believe that the introduction of block copolymers can facilitate the novel energy conversion to an entirely new plateau, and the research can inform a new generation of block copolymers for more promotion and improvement in new energy applications.
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8
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He G, Wang P, Gao N, Yin X, Sun F, Li W, Zhao H, Wang C, Li G. Pyrrole-Containing ABA Triblock Brush Polymers as Dual Functional Molecules to Facilely Access Diverse Mesostructured Materials. Macromolecules 2022. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.macromol.2c01752] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Guokang He
- Key Lab of Organic Optoelectronics and Molecular Engineering, Department of Chemistry, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, P. R. China
| | - Peng Wang
- Key Lab of Organic Optoelectronics and Molecular Engineering, Department of Chemistry, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, P. R. China
- Aerospace Research Institute of Special Material and Processing Technology, Beijing 100074, P. R. China
| | - Ning Gao
- Key Lab of Organic Optoelectronics and Molecular Engineering, Department of Chemistry, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, P. R. China
| | - Xianpeng Yin
- Aerospace Research Institute of Special Material and Processing Technology, Beijing 100074, P. R. China
| | - Fuwei Sun
- Key Lab of Organic Optoelectronics and Molecular Engineering, Department of Chemistry, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, P. R. China
| | - Wenyun Li
- Key Lab of Organic Optoelectronics and Molecular Engineering, Department of Chemistry, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, P. R. China
| | | | - Chen Wang
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200241, China
| | - Guangtao Li
- Key Lab of Organic Optoelectronics and Molecular Engineering, Department of Chemistry, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, P. R. China
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9
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Pula P, Leniart A, Majewski PW. Solvent-assisted self-assembly of block copolymer thin films. SOFT MATTER 2022; 18:4042-4066. [PMID: 35608282 DOI: 10.1039/d2sm00439a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Solvent-assisted block copolymer self-assembly is a compelling method for processing and advancing practical applications of these materials due to the exceptional level of the control of BCP morphology and significant acceleration of ordering kinetics. Despite substantial experimental and theoretical efforts devoted to understanding of solvent-assisted BCP film ordering, the development of a universal BCP patterning protocol remains elusive; possibly due to a multitude of factors which dictate the self-assembly scenario. The aim of this review is to aggregate both seminal reports and the latest progress in solvent-assisted directed self-assembly and to provide the reader with theoretical background, including the outline of BCP ordering thermodynamics and kinetics phenomena. We also indicate significant BCP research areas and emerging high-tech applications where solvent-assisted processing might play a dominant role.
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Affiliation(s)
- Przemyslaw Pula
- Department of Chemistry, University of Warsaw, Warsaw 02089, Poland.
| | - Arkadiusz Leniart
- Department of Chemistry, University of Warsaw, Warsaw 02089, Poland.
| | - Pawel W Majewski
- Department of Chemistry, University of Warsaw, Warsaw 02089, Poland.
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10
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Liontos G, Manesi GM, Moutsios I, Moschovas D, Piryazev AA, Bersenev EA, Ivanov DA, Avgeropoulos A. Synthesis, Molecular Characterization, and Phase Behavior of Miktoarm Star Copolymers of the ABn and AnB (n = 2 or 3) Sequences, Where A Is Polystyrene and B Is Poly(dimethylsiloxane). Macromolecules 2021. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.macromol.1c01863] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- George Liontos
- Department of Materials Science Engineering, University of Ioannina, University Campus-Dourouti, 45110 Ioannina, Greece
| | - Gkreti-Maria Manesi
- Department of Materials Science Engineering, University of Ioannina, University Campus-Dourouti, 45110 Ioannina, Greece
| | - Ioannis Moutsios
- Department of Materials Science Engineering, University of Ioannina, University Campus-Dourouti, 45110 Ioannina, Greece
| | - Dimitrios Moschovas
- Department of Materials Science Engineering, University of Ioannina, University Campus-Dourouti, 45110 Ioannina, Greece
- Faculty of Chemistry, Lomonosov Moscow State University (MSU), GSP-1, 1-3 Leninskiye Gory, 119991 Moscow, Russia
| | - Alexey A. Piryazev
- Faculty of Chemistry, Lomonosov Moscow State University (MSU), GSP-1, 1-3 Leninskiye Gory, 119991 Moscow, Russia
- Institute of Problems of Chemical Physics, Russian Academy of Sciences, Chernogolovka, 142432 Moscow, Russia
| | - Egor A. Bersenev
- Faculty of Chemistry, Lomonosov Moscow State University (MSU), GSP-1, 1-3 Leninskiye Gory, 119991 Moscow, Russia
- Institute of Problems of Chemical Physics, Russian Academy of Sciences, Chernogolovka, 142432 Moscow, Russia
| | - Dimitri A. Ivanov
- Faculty of Chemistry, Lomonosov Moscow State University (MSU), GSP-1, 1-3 Leninskiye Gory, 119991 Moscow, Russia
- Institute of Problems of Chemical Physics, Russian Academy of Sciences, Chernogolovka, 142432 Moscow, Russia
- Institut de Sciences des Matériaux de Mulhouse─IS2M, CNRS UMR7361, 15 Jean Starcky, 68057 Mulhouse, France
| | - Apostolos Avgeropoulos
- Department of Materials Science Engineering, University of Ioannina, University Campus-Dourouti, 45110 Ioannina, Greece
- Faculty of Chemistry, Lomonosov Moscow State University (MSU), GSP-1, 1-3 Leninskiye Gory, 119991 Moscow, Russia
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11
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Lee S, Lee W, Jung HT, Ross CA. Selective Deposition of Copper on Self-Assembled Block Copolymer Surfaces via Physical Vapor Deposition. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2021; 13:52931-52937. [PMID: 34705438 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.1c15272] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Block copolymer (BCP) self-assembly produces chemically and topographically patterned surfaces which are used to guide the formation of Cu nanostructures by exploiting differences in the mobility of vapor-deposited species on each microdomain. Cu metal films a few nm thick were deposited on three different BCP surfaces self-assembled from poly(styrene-b-methyl methacrylate) (PS-b-PMMA) and polystyrene-b-poly(2-vinylpyridine) (PS-b-P2VP). For PS-b-PMMA, the effects of chemical heterogeneity dominate over the effects of the 2 nm peak-to-valley topography, and sputtered Cu preferentially wets the PS block. PS-b-P2VP has greater chemical and topographical contrast and shows a wider process window for selective deposition. Cu grown by evaporation has less surface mobility, and shadowing effects are believed to dominate pattern formation. The hierarchical self-assembly process of thin metal films on BCP surfaces provides a route to fabricating heterogeneous metallic nanostructures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sangho Lee
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - Wonmoo Lee
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering (BK-21 Plus), Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon 34141, South Korea
| | - Hee-Tae Jung
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering (BK-21 Plus), Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon 34141, South Korea
| | - Caroline A Ross
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
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12
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Sun J, Lee C, Osuji CO, Gopalan P. Synthesis of High Etch Contrast Poly(3-hydroxystyrene)-Based Triblock Copolymers and Self-Assembly of Sub-5 nm Features. Macromolecules 2021. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.macromol.1c01611] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Jian Sun
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Wisconsin−Madison, Madison, Wisconsin 53706, United States
| | - Changyeon Lee
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, United States
| | - Chinedum O. Osuji
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, United States
| | - Padma Gopalan
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Wisconsin−Madison, Madison, Wisconsin 53706, United States
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13
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Shi LY, Yin C, Zhou B, Xia W, Weng L, Ross CA. Annealing Process Dependence of the Self-Assembly of Rod–Coil Block Copolymer Thin Films. Macromolecules 2021. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.macromol.0c02712] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Ling-Ying Shi
- College of Polymer Science and Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Polymer Materials Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610065, China
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - Chengxiao Yin
- College of Polymer Science and Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Polymer Materials Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610065, China
| | - Bo Zhou
- College of Polymer Science and Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Polymer Materials Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610065, China
| | - Wei Xia
- College of Polymer Science and Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Polymer Materials Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610065, China
| | - Lin Weng
- College of Polymer Science and Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Polymer Materials Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610065, China
| | - Caroline A. Ross
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
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14
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Gadelrab KR, Alexander-Katz A. Effect of Molecular Architecture on the Self-Assembly of Bottlebrush Copolymers. J Phys Chem B 2020; 124:11519-11529. [PMID: 33267586 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.0c07941] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
The characteristics of a new architecture of bottlebrush copolymers (BBCPs) self-assembly were studied using self-consistent field theory. In this molecule, a series of AB linear diblock side chains were connected at the diblock junction using a C backbone. The control over the linker length and its chemical nature created an additional constraint on the intrinsic AB diblock microphase separation. Increasing side-chain crowding by increasing the grafting density and total degree of polymerization induced improved phase separation. This was reflected in the overall reduction in the effective interaction parameter between the diblocks as well as the abrupt increase in phase density when crossing the order-disorder transition. Side-chain crowding resulted in an increase in the equilibrium domain spacing compared to a linear diblock. On the other hand, the localization of block C at the AB interface generated a diffuse domain boundary and reduction in side-chain stretching. The unique behavior of BBCPs was observed in 1D confined systems where the molecule showed the natural tendency to orient domains parallel to neutral confinement in contrast to the behavior of confined diblocks. Such behavior largely depended on the degree of incompatibility between the AB blocks and BBCP structure. A ternary phase diagram was constructed for different proportions of each block. Rich morphologies of core-shell domains and tiling patterns were observed including octagonal and pentagonal polygons. The unique architecture of this bottlebrush molecule and its improved nanoscale properties make it an attractive candidate for various applications of nanotechnology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karim R Gadelrab
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - Alfredo Alexander-Katz
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
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15
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Alvarez S, Marcasuzaa P, Billon L. Bio-Inspired Silica Films Combining Block Copolymers Self-Assembly and Soft Chemistry: Paving the Way toward Artificial Exosqueleton of Seawater Diatoms. Macromol Rapid Commun 2020; 42:e2000582. [PMID: 33274818 DOI: 10.1002/marc.202000582] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2020] [Revised: 11/06/2020] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
This review is in line with the principles of bio-inspiration and biomimicry in order to envisage a softer and more environmentally friendly chemistry. Here, the source of inspiration is a microalga from the oceans with the ability to build an exoskeleton of silica under ambient conditions. Following this model, this review is interested in different ways of creating porous silica films with a hierarchical porosity similar to diatoms. For this purpose, polymeric/hybrid/inorganic films structured in honeycomb using the breath figure method are reported. This versatile and easy to implement method based on the principle of rapid evaporation of a solvent in a humid atmosphere is widely used in the formation of structured films with micron-sized pores. In addition to this, the self-assembly of copolymer at the nanoscale can be addressed to obtain a hierarchically structured film. Following this structuration step, the degradation of a sacrificial block is then described from the most energy-intensive to soft process, allowing an added nanoporosity to the micron porosity of the BF method. Finally, hierarchical porous silica films are described using the sol-gel process, which is known as a soft chemistry process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandra Alvarez
- Universite de Pau et Pays de l'Adour, E2S UPPA, CNRS, Institut des Sciences Analytiques & de PhysicoChimie pour l'Environnement & les Matériaux, UMR5254, 2 avenue du Président Angot, Pau, F-64053, France.,Bio-Inspired Materials Group: Functionalities and Self-Assembly, E2S UPPA, IPREM UMR 5254, 2 avenue du Président Angot, Pau, F-64053, France
| | - Pierre Marcasuzaa
- Universite de Pau et Pays de l'Adour, E2S UPPA, CNRS, Institut des Sciences Analytiques & de PhysicoChimie pour l'Environnement & les Matériaux, UMR5254, 2 avenue du Président Angot, Pau, F-64053, France.,Bio-Inspired Materials Group: Functionalities and Self-Assembly, E2S UPPA, IPREM UMR 5254, 2 avenue du Président Angot, Pau, F-64053, France
| | - Laurent Billon
- Universite de Pau et Pays de l'Adour, E2S UPPA, CNRS, Institut des Sciences Analytiques & de PhysicoChimie pour l'Environnement & les Matériaux, UMR5254, 2 avenue du Président Angot, Pau, F-64053, France.,Bio-Inspired Materials Group: Functionalities and Self-Assembly, E2S UPPA, IPREM UMR 5254, 2 avenue du Président Angot, Pau, F-64053, France
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16
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Shi LY, Lan J, Lee S, Cheng LC, Yager KG, Ross CA. Vertical Lamellae Formed by Two-Step Annealing of a Rod-Coil Liquid Crystalline Block Copolymer Thin Film. ACS NANO 2020; 14:4289-4297. [PMID: 32182037 PMCID: PMC7309319 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.9b09702] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2019] [Accepted: 03/17/2020] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
Silicon-containing block copolymer thin films with high interaction parameter and etch contrast are ideal candidates to generate robust nanotemplates for advanced nanofabrication, but they typically form in-plane oriented microdomains as a result of the dissimilar surface energies of the blocks. Here, we describe a two-step annealing method to produce vertically aligned lamellar structures in thin film of a silicon-containing rod-coil thermotropic liquid crystalline block copolymer. The rod-coil block copolymer with the volume fraction of the Si-containing block of 0.22 presents an asymmetrical lamellar structure in which the rod block forms a hexatic columnar nematic liquid crystalline phase. A solvent vapor annealing step first produces well-ordered in-plane cylinders of the Si-containing block, then a subsequent thermal annealing promotes the phase transition from in-plane cylinders to vertical lamellae. The pathways of the order-order transition were examined by microscopy and in situ using grazing incidence small-angle X-ray scattering and wide-angle X-ray scattering.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ling-Ying Shi
- College
of Polymer Science and Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Polymer
Materials Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610065, China
- Department
of Materials Science and Engineering, Massachusetts
Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - Ji Lan
- College
of Polymer Science and Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Polymer
Materials Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610065, China
| | - Sangho Lee
- Department
of Materials Science and Engineering, Massachusetts
Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - Li-Chen Cheng
- Department
of Materials Science and Engineering, Massachusetts
Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - Kevin G. Yager
- Center
for Functional Nanomaterials, Brookhaven
National Laboratory, Upton, New York 11973, United States
| | - Caroline A. Ross
- Department
of Materials Science and Engineering, Massachusetts
Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
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17
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Michman E, Langenberg M, Stenger R, Oded M, Schvartzman M, Müller M, Shenhar R. Controlled Spacing between Nanopatterned Regions in Block Copolymer Films Obtained by Utilizing Substrate Topography for Local Film Thickness Differentiation. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2019; 11:35247-35254. [PMID: 31482698 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.9b12817] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Various types of devices require hierarchically nanopatterned substrates, where the spacing between patterned domains is controlled. Ultraconfined films exhibit extreme morphological sensitivity to slight variations in film thickness when the substrate is highly selective toward one of the blocks. Here, it is shown that using the substrate's topography as a thickness differentiating tool enables the creation of domains with different surface patterns in a fully controlled fashion from a single, unblended block copolymer. This approach is applicable to block copolymers of different compositions and to different topographical patterns and thus opens numerous possibilities for the hierarchical construction of multifunctional devices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisheva Michman
- The Institute of Chemistry and the Center for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology , The Hebrew University of Jerusalem , Jerusalem 9190401 , Israel
| | - Marcel Langenberg
- Institute for Theoretical Physics , Georg-August-University Göttingen , Friedrich-Hund-Platz 1 , 37077 Göttingen , Germany
| | - Roland Stenger
- Institute for Theoretical Physics , Georg-August-University Göttingen , Friedrich-Hund-Platz 1 , 37077 Göttingen , Germany
| | - Meirav Oded
- The Institute of Chemistry and the Center for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology , The Hebrew University of Jerusalem , Jerusalem 9190401 , Israel
| | - Mark Schvartzman
- Department of Materials Engineering and Ilse Katz Institute for Nanoscale Science and Technology , Ben Gurion University of the Negev , Beer Sheva 8410501 , Israel
| | - Marcus Müller
- Institute for Theoretical Physics , Georg-August-University Göttingen , Friedrich-Hund-Platz 1 , 37077 Göttingen , Germany
| | - Roy Shenhar
- The Institute of Chemistry and the Center for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology , The Hebrew University of Jerusalem , Jerusalem 9190401 , Israel
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18
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Shi LY, Liao F, Cheng LC, Lee S, Ran R, Shen Z, Ross CA. Core-Shell and Zigzag Nanostructures from a Thin Film Silicon-Containing Conformationally Asymmetric Triblock Terpolymer. ACS Macro Lett 2019; 8:852-858. [PMID: 35619504 DOI: 10.1021/acsmacrolett.9b00283] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
The self-assembly of multiblock copolymers generates diverse hierarchical nanostructures and greatly extends the range of microdomain geometries beyond those produced by diblock copolymers. We report the synthesis of a conformationally asymmetric ABC triblock terpolymer in which the end blocks are a mesogen-jacketed liquid crystalline polymer and poly(dimethylsiloxane), respectively, and its self-assembly under mixed solvent vapor annealing forms a range of sphere, cylinder, and perforated lamellar core-shell morphologies, as well as stacked multilevel structures. Sub-7 nm diameter SiOx nanopatterns were generated by selective plasma etching of the small volume fraction Si-containing core block giving a line/space ratio of ∼1:4. Moreover, the conformational asymmetry of this terpolymer leads to zigzag cylinders on a flat substrate and stable cylinder alignment transverse to template sidewalls within lithographically patterned trenches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ling-Ying Shi
- College of Polymer Science and Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Polymer Materials Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610065, China
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - Fen Liao
- College of Polymer Science and Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Polymer Materials Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610065, China
| | - Li-Chen Cheng
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - Sangho Lee
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - Rong Ran
- College of Polymer Science and Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Polymer Materials Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610065, China
| | - Zhihao Shen
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Key Laboratory of Polymer Chemistry and Physics of Ministry of Education, Center of Soft Matter Science and Engineering, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Caroline A. Ross
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
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19
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Lee S, Cheng LC, Yager KG, Mumtaz M, Aissou K, Ross CA. In Situ Study of ABC Triblock Terpolymer Self-Assembly under Solvent Vapor Annealing. Macromolecules 2019. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.macromol.8b02273] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Sangho Lee
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - Li-Chen Cheng
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - Kevin G. Yager
- Center for Functional Nanomaterials, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, New York 11973, United States
| | - Muhammad Mumtaz
- Laboratoire de Chimie des Polymères Organiques (LCPO), CNRS − ENSCPB, Université de Bordeaux, Bordeaux, Pessac, France
| | - Karim Aissou
- Laboratoire de Chimie des Polymères Organiques (LCPO), CNRS − ENSCPB, Université de Bordeaux, Bordeaux, Pessac, France
| | - Caroline A. Ross
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
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20
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Shi LY, Lee S, Cheng LC, Huang H, Liao F, Ran R, Yager KG, Ross CA. Thin Film Self-Assembly of a Silicon-Containing Rod–Coil Liquid Crystalline Block Copolymer. Macromolecules 2019. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.macromol.8b01938] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Ling-Ying Shi
- College of Polymer Science and Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Polymer Materials Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610065, China
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - Sangho Lee
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - Li-Chen Cheng
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - Hejin Huang
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - Fen Liao
- College of Polymer Science and Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Polymer Materials Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610065, China
| | - Rong Ran
- College of Polymer Science and Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Polymer Materials Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610065, China
| | - Kevin G. Yager
- Center for Functional Nanomaterials, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, New York 11973, United States
| | - Caroline A. Ross
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
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21
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Liao F, Shi LY, Cheng LC, Lee S, Ran R, Yager KG, Ross CA. Self-assembly of a silicon-containing side-chain liquid crystalline block copolymer in bulk and in thin films: kinetic pathway of a cylinder to sphere transition. NANOSCALE 2018; 11:285-293. [PMID: 30534671 DOI: 10.1039/c8nr07685e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
The self-assembly of a high-χ silicon-containing side-chain liquid crystalline block copolymer (LC BCP) in bulk and in thin films is reported, and the structural transition process from the hexagonally packed cylinder (HEX) to the body-centered cubic structure (BCC) in thin films was examined by both reciprocal and real space experimental methods. The block copolymer, poly(dimethylsiloxane-b-11-(4'-cyanobiphenyl-4-yloxy)undecylmethacrylate) (PDMS-b-P(4CNB11C)MA) with a molecular weight of 19.5 kg mol-1 and a volume fraction of PDMS 27% self-assembled in bulk into a hierarchical nanostructure of sub-20 nm HEX cylinders of PDMS with the P(4CNB11C)MA block exhibiting a smectic LC phase with a 1.61 nm period. The structure remained HEX as the P(4CNB11C)MA block transformed to an isotropic phase at ∼120 °C. In the thin films, the PDMS cylindrical microdomains were oriented in layers parallel to the substrate surface. The LC block formed a smectic LC phase which transformed to an isotropic phase at ∼120 °C, and the microphase-separated nanostructure transformed from HEX to BCC spheres at ∼160 °C. The hierarchical structure as well as the dynamic structural transition of the thin films were characterized using in situ grazing-incidence small-angle X-ray scattering and grazing-incidence wide-angle X-ray scattering. The transient morphologies from the HEX to BCC structure in thin films were captured by scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy, and the transition pathway was described.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fen Liao
- College of Polymer Science and Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Polymer Materials Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610065, China.
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