Nanostructured Films of Block Copolymers Functionalized With Photolabile Protected Amino Groups

Abstract

Two phase separating block copolymers with photolabile protected amino groups in one block have been synthesized through RAFT polymerization followed by efficient click modification. Techniques like NMR, GPC, and DSC were applied for the characterization of these functional materials. The block copolymers were used for the preparation of thin films where they assemble to form distinct nanostructures as detected by AFM analysis.

Innovative Molecular Design for a Volume Oriented Component Diagnostic: Modified Magnetic Nanoparticles on High Performance Yarns for Smart Textiles

“…Compatibilization by polymers requires either the presence of chemically similar segments in both modification and matrix or the presence of functional groups to install chemical linkages. [39] enhances the number of attachment sites between block copolymer and NPs (Figure 7b with PPFS second block). The polymers were synthesized by controlled radical polymerization with two methods, either atom transfer polymerization or reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT).…”

“…Use of the functional initiator azo(bis isobutyric acid) and a random copolymer of VP and trimethyl silyl (TMS)-protected propargyl methacrylate as first block as described in ref. [39] enhances the number of attachment sites between block copolymer and NPs (Figure 7b with PPFS second block).…”

Reactive block copolymers for patterned surface immobilization with sub-30 nm spacing

“…Although some studies showed that small changes in structures can alter the morphologies and nanodomain periodicities, 39,40 a few reports suggested that incorporation of a small percentage (<10%) of functionalities into or at the end of the polymer backbones does not influence the phase separation behavior to a considerable extent. 37,[41][42][43][44] During the course of our study, Wiesner, Estroff, and co-workers have used such an elegant and versatile approach with a well-known phase-separating polystyrene-b-polyethylene glycol scaffold (PS-b-PEG), where a significant amount of allyl glycidyl ether was introduced in the PEG block to provide allyl anchors for further thiol-ene-based functionalization. 45 Nevertheless, only one type of functionality was reported and, in fact, the polymerization method which was used, i.e., anionic polymerization, may limit the range of accessible functionalities.…”

Self-Assembly and Post-Fabrication Functionalization of Microphase Separated Thin Films of a Reactive Azlactone-Containing Block Copolymer

“…For example, Zhu and co-workers have used reactive BCPs containing an alkyne-functionalized block to immobilize and array azide-tagged proteins on a self-assembled hexagonal thin film . Theato and others have also investigated photocleavable BCPs as templates to confine reactive functionality within nanopores, − and the Voit group has explored the synthesis, self-assembly, and potential postfabrication reactivity of a diverse range of reactive BCPs and their thin film counterparts. − These and other related reactive BCP approaches provide opportunities to pattern new functionality at the nanoscale. However, these strategies also require the synthesis of potentially complex BCPs with specific reactive groups, and their subsequent self-assembly into well-defined morphologies.…”