Crystallization of Tethered Chain Layers in Crystalline-Crystalline Diblock Copolymers

Confined-crystallization has been researched in many ways using diblock copolymers. Microphase-separated morphologies provide a controllable environment to tune the confinement parameters. Another method of confined crystallization is through tethering one end to a surface with variable tethering density. Single crystals of crystalline-crystalline diblock copolymers have been made using dilute solution self-seeding. This technique provides a monolayer of chains on the single crystal surface. PEO-b-PCL samples with various molecular weights have been used to crystallize one block into the single crystal, while the other block is sequestered to the basal surfaces. The crystallizability as a function of tethering density as well as the crystal orientation in these single surface layers has been studied.