title: Freeze-fracture TEM imaging of robust order in swollen phases of amphiphilic diblock copolymers.
abstract: We report on the structures exhibited by two different diblock poly(styrene)-b-poly(acrylic acid) (PS-b-PAA) copolymers in water, a selective solvent. Using a combination of X-ray scattering and freeze fracture-transmission electron microscopy (FF-TEM), we show that these structures can be widely swollen while retaining their initial morphology and a high degree of long-range order. The analysis of the FF-TEM pictures also evidences the presence of water crystallites of regular size and shape within the confined water domains. We relate the growth of these crystallites to the high local ionic strength of the water swelling the PAA brushes. Moreover, the confinement of the crystallites growth shows that the swollen phases have a very robust structure, potentially useful for confining colloidal particles.
authors.affiliation: Centre de Recherche Paul Pascal UPR 8641, Université Bordeaux 1-CNRS, avenue Schweitzer, 33600 Pessac, France.
authors.forename: Benoit
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Maxit
authors.forename: Joanna
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Giermanska
authors.forename: Isabelle
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Ly
authors.forename: Denis
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bendejacq
authors.forename: Olivier
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Mondain-Monval
authors.forename: Virginie
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Ponsinet