Universal Phase Diagrams in Rod-Coil Block Copolymers and Applications to Optoelectronics and Bioinspired Materials

ORAL

Abstract

The thermodynamics of self-assembly of rod-coil block copolymer systems is significantly altered from that of well-characterized coil-coil block copolymers due to the difference in chain topology and the liquid crystalline interactions between rod blocks. As a result, the phase space of rod-coil block copolymers appears to be at least four dimensional (relying on rod-coil and rod-rod interactions as well as two geometrical parameters). Here, we demonstrate that systematic tuning of the rod-rod interactions in conjugated rod-shaped polythiophenes allows for manipulation of the ratio of Maier-Saupe to the Flory-Huggins parameter. This ratio of thermodynamic parameters appears to be crucial in determining morphology and in obtaining long-range order. The fundamental self-assembly of molecules of unusual shapes as well as applications of rod-like block copolymers in optoelectronics and bioinspired materials will be discussed.

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Authors

  • Rachel A. Segalman

    • Department of Chemical Engineering, University of California - Berkeley
    • UC Berkeley
    • University of California, Berkeley
    • UC Berkeley and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratories
    • UC Berkeley and Lawrence Berkeley National Labs
    • Department of Chemical Engineering, University of California, Berkeley
    • Department of Chemical Engineering, University of California, Berkeley and Materials Sciences Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
    • Dept. of Chemical Engineering, UC Berkeley

  • Victor Ho

    • UC Berkeley and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratories
    • University of California, Berkeley

  • Bryan W. Boudouris

    • UC Berkeley and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratories
    • Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science - University of Minnesota
    • University of California, Berkeley