Nanophase separation in polystyrene-polyfluorene block copolymers thin films prepared through the breath figure procedure.
The amphiphilic block copolymer formed by a hydrophobic body of polystyrene and a hydrophilic head of poly[9,9-di(2-(2-tetrahydropyranyl-oxy)hexyl)fluorene-alt-9,9-dioctylfluorene] was synthesized, and its solution was used to create thin films with ordered pattern of holes, by means of the breath figure technique. These porous films, after a thermal treatment, were found to show ordered aggregates of the pi-conjugated blocks in the place of the cavities. This is probably due to a preorganization of the two different blocks of the copolymer occurring during the breath figure formation, which is driven by the condensation of water microdroplets on the polymer solution, and to a following phase segregation occurring during the thermal annealing. This approach is a promising tool to be employed for the organization of organic materials at the micro and nanoscale.
Bolognesi
Alberto
A
Istituto per lo Studio delle Macromolecole, CNR, Via E. Bassini 15, 20133 Milano, Italy.
Galeotti
Francesco
F
Giovanella
Umberto
U
Bertini
Fabio
F
Yunus
Sami
S
D002152:Calorimetry, Differential Scanning; D005449:Fluorenes / Q000737:chemistry*; D018625:Microscopy, Atomic Force; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D015394:Molecular Structure; D049329:Nanostructures / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D011137:Polystyrenes / Q000737:chemistry*
D005449:Fluorenes; D011137:Polystyrenes