Widely tunable persistent micelle templates <i>via</i> homopolymer swelling

Sarkar, Amrita; Thyagarajan, Akshay; Cole, A.T.; Stefik, Morgan

doi:10.1039/c9sm00484j

Cited by 25 publications

(46 citation statements)

References 89 publications

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“…The microspheres were prepared in a single processing step, with one polymeric component, with the final structural color determined only by the intensity of the homogenization process. This fabrication method is advantageous over existing methods, such as the swelling of linear BCP micelles with homopolymer, [47] as it directly allows access to the large pore sizes required for photonics. While a greater refractive index contrast could be achieved with porous inorganic structures, potentially allowing for a stronger optical response, such systems typically require multiple fabrication steps, including self-assembly, infiltration with an inorganic precursor, and aggressive removal of the nanoparticle template.…”

Section: Doi: 101002/adma202002681mentioning

confidence: 99%

Angular‐Independent Photonic Pigments via the Controlled Micellization of Amphiphilic Bottlebrush Block Copolymers

et al. 2020

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Photonic materials with angular independent structural color are highly desirable because they offer the broad viewing angles required for application as colorants in paints, cosmetics, textiles or displays. However, they are challenging to fabricate as they require isotropic nanoscale architectures with only short-range correlation. In this article, porous microparticles with such a structure are produced in a single, scalable step from an amphiphilic, low molecular weight bottlebrush block copolymer (290 kDa). This is achieved by exploiting a novel 'controlled micellization' self-assembly mechanism within an emulsified toluene-in-water droplet. By restricting water permeation through the droplet interface, the size of the pores can be precisely addressed, resulting in structurally colored pigments that can be tuned to reflect across the visible spectrum. Such 'photonic pigments' have several key advantages over their crystalline analogues, as they provide isotropic structural coloration that suppresses iridescence and improves color purity without the need for either refractive index matching or the inclusion of a broadband absorber.

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Section: Doi: 101002/adma202002681mentioning

confidence: 99%

Angular‐Independent Photonic Pigments via the Controlled Micellization of Amphiphilic Bottlebrush Block Copolymers

et al. 2020

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“…We note that out approach is fundamentally different to the more common route of pore expansion by supramolecular co-assembly with swelling agents that selectively interact with the pore-forming block, e.g. benzene derivatives, [58,59] homopolymers, [52,60] carboxylic acids, [61,62] or solvents such as toluene or xylene. [63,64] In contrast to the herein presented strategy, swelling agents present multiple challenges, i.e.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 98%

Fractionation of Block Copolymers for Pore Size Control and Reduced Dispersity in Mesoporous Inorganic Thin Films

Fernandez¹,

Reid²,

Suthar³

et al. 2020

Preprint

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Mesoporous inorganic thin films are promising materials architectures for a variety of applications, including sensing, catalysis, protective coatings, energy generation and storage. In many cases, precise control over a bicontinuous porous network on the 10-nm length scale is crucial for their operation. A particularly promising route for structure formation utilizes block copolymer (BCP) micelles in solution as sacrificial structure-directing agents for the co-assembly of inorganic precursors. This method offers pore size control via the molecular weight of the pore forming block and is compatible with broad materials library. On the other hand, the molecular weight dependence impedes continuous pore tuning and the intrinsic polymer dispersity presents challenges to the pore size homogeneity. To this end, we demonstrate how chromatographic fractionation of BCPs provides a powerful method to control the pore size and dispersity of the resulting mesoporous thin films. We apply a semi-preparative size exclusion chromatographic fractionation to a polydisperse poly(isobutylene)-block-poly(ethylene oxide) (PIB-b-PEO) BCP obtained from scaled-up synthesis. The isolation of BCP fractions with distinct molecular weight and narrowed dispersity allowed us to not only tune the characteristic pore size from 9.1±1.5 to 14.1±2.1 nm with the identical BCP source material, but also significantly reduce the pore size dispersity compared to the non-fractionated BCP. Our findings offer a route to obtain a library of monodisperse BCPs from a polydisperse feedstock and provide important insights on the direct relationship between macromolecular characteristics and the resulting structure-directed mesopores, in particular related to dispersity.

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“…We note that out approach is fundamentally different to the more common route of pore expansion by supramolecular coassembly with swelling agents that selectively interact with the pore-forming block, e.g. benzene derivatives, 60,61 homopolymers, 55,62 carboxylic acids, 63,64 or solvents such as toluene or xylene. 65,66 In contrast to the herein presented strategy, swelling agents present multiple challenges, i.e.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 98%

Fractionation of block copolymers for pore size control and reduced dispersity in mesoporous inorganic thin films

et al. 2020

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Widely tunable persistent micelle templates via homopolymer swelling

Abstract: Like an etch-a-sketch, swollen persistent micelle templates enable wide-spanning and independent tuning of both pore and wall dimensions.

Cited by 25 publications

References 89 publications

Angular‐Independent Photonic Pigments via the Controlled Micellization of Amphiphilic Bottlebrush Block Copolymers

Angular‐Independent Photonic Pigments via the Controlled Micellization of Amphiphilic Bottlebrush Block Copolymers

Fractionation of Block Copolymers for Pore Size Control and Reduced Dispersity in Mesoporous Inorganic Thin Films

Fractionation of block copolymers for pore size control and reduced dispersity in mesoporous inorganic thin films

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