Small molecule-guided thermoresponsive supramolecular assemblies

Type
Article

Authors
Rancatore, Benjamin J.
Mauldin, Clayton E.
Frechet, Jean
Xu, Ting

KAUST Department
Chemical Science Program
Office of the VP
Physical Science and Engineering (PSE) Division

Online Publication Date
2012-10-05

Print Publication Date
2012-10-23

Date
2012-10-05

Abstract
Small organic molecules with strong intermolecular interactions have a wide range of desirable optical and electronic properties and rich phase behaviors. Incorporating them into block copolymer (BCP)-based supramolecules opens new routes to generate functional responsive materials. Using oligothiophene- containing supramolecules, we present systematic studies of critical thermodynamic parameters and kinetic pathway that govern the coassemblies of BCP and strongly interacting small molecules. A number of potentially useful morphologies for optoelectronic materials, including a nanoscopic network of oligothiophene and nanoscopic crystalline lamellae, were obtained by varying the assembly pathway. Hierarchical coassemblies of oligothiophene and BCP, rather than macrophase separation, can be obtained. Crystallization of the oligothiophene not only induces chain stretching of the BCP block the oligothiophene is hydrogen bonded to but also changes the conformation of the other BCP coil block. This leads to an over 70% change in the BCP periodicity (e.g., from 31 to 53 nm) as the oligothiophene changes from a melt to a crystalline state, which provides access to a large BCP periodicity using fairly low molecular weight BCP. The present studies have demonstrated the experimental feasibility of generating thermoresponsive materials that convert heat into mechanical energy. Incorporating strongly interacting small molecules into BCP supramolecules effectively increases the BCP periodicity and may also open new opportunities to tailor their optical properties without the need for high molecular weight BCP. © 2012 American Chemical Society.

Citation
Rancatore, B. J., Mauldin, C. E., Fréchet, J. M. J., & Xu, T. (2012). Small Molecule-Guided Thermoresponsive Supramolecular Assemblies. Macromolecules, 45(20), 8292–8299. doi:10.1021/ma301727q

Acknowledgements
This work was supported by the Director, Office of Science, Office of Basic Energy Sciences, Materials Sciences and Engineering Division, of the U.S. Department of Energy under Contract DE-AC02-05CH11231. The Advanced Light Source is supported by the Director, Office of Science, Office of Basic Energy Sciences, of the U.S. Department of Energy under Contract DE-AC02-05CH11231.

Publisher
American Chemical Society (ACS)

Journal
Macromolecules

DOI
10.1021/ma301727q

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