Towards nanoporous membranes based on ABC triblock terpolymers.

Block copolymers represent an exciting class of complex materials as they self-assemble into highly regular structures of nanoscopic dimensions. When prepared as thin films, such structures can be used for a variety of applications including lithographic masks or nanoporous membranes. Reported here are nanostructures in thin films of structurally analogous polybutadiene-block-poly(2-vinyl pyridine)-block-poly(tert-butyl methacrylate) (BVT) and polystyrene-block-poly(2-vinyl pyridine)-block-poly(tert-butyl methacrylate) (SVT) triblock terpolymers, which are synthesized via sequential living anionic polymerization. The morphological behavior of annealed SVT and BVT films is investigated by scanning force and electron microscopies. The difference in the terpolymer composition results in the formation of an ordered perforated lamella phase in SVT films and hexagonally packed core/shell cylinders in BVT films. Further, the BVT films show high potential for the fabrication of composite membranes using track-etched poly(ethylene terephthalate) macroporous filters as a support.

[1]  M. Ulbricht,et al.  Permeability and electrokinetic characterization of poly(ethylene terephthalate) capillary pore membranes with grafted temperature-responsive polymers. , 2007, Langmuir : the ACS journal of surfaces and colloids.

[2]  A. Knoll,et al.  Rapid transitions between defect configurations in a block copolymer melt. , 2006, Nano letters.

[3]  A. Knoll,et al.  Substrate-Induced Phase Transitions in Thin Films of Cylinder-Forming Diblock Copolymer Melts , 2006 .

[4]  M. Ulbricht.  Advanced functional polymer membranes , 2006 .

[5]  Marc A. Hillmyer,et al.  Nanoporous materials from block copolymer precursors , 2005 .

[6]  C. A. Wilkie.  Polymer Degradation and Stabilization , 2005 .

[7]  S. Ludwigs,et al.  One-Dimensional Swelling of a pH-Dependent Nanostructure Based on ABC Triblock Terpolymers , 2005 .

[8]  S. Ludwigs,et al.  Phase Behavior of ABC Triblock Terpolymers in Thin Films: Mesoscale Simulations , 2005 .

[9]  C. Stafford,et al.  Combinatorial Mapping of the Phase Behavior of ABC Triblock Terpolymers in Thin Films: Experiments , 2005 .

[10]  Kevin A. Cavicchi,et al.  An ordered nanoporous monolith from an elastomeric crosslinked block copolymer precursor , 2004 .

[11]  S. Ludwigs,et al.  Self-assembly of functional nanostructures from ABC triblock copolymers , 2003, Nature materials.

[12]  Martin E Vigild,et al.  Nanoporous materials with spherical and gyroid cavities created by quantitative etching of polydimethylsiloxane in polystyrene-polydimethylsiloxane block copolymers. , 2003, Journal of the American Chemical Society.

[13]  A. Müller,et al.  Phase behavior of linear polystyrene-block-poly(2-vinylpyridine)-block-poly(tert-butyl methacrylate) triblock terpolymers , 2003 .

[14]  Sergiy Minko,et al.  Ordered reactive nanomembranes/nanotemplates from thin films of block copolymer supramolecular assembly. , 2003, Journal of the American Chemical Society.

[15]  G. Krausch,et al.  Wetting at polymer surfaces and interfaces , 2003 .

[16]  M. Hillmyer,et al.  Ordered nanoporous polymers from polystyrene-polylactide block copolymers. , 2002, Journal of the American Chemical Society.

[17]  A. Knoll,et al.  Phase behavior in thin films of cylinder-forming block copolymers. , 2002, Physical review letters.

[18]  Marc A. Hillmyer,et al.  Mesoporous Polystyrene Monoliths , 2001 .

[19]  F. Bates,et al.  Stability of the perforated layer (PL) phase in diblock copolymer melts , 1997 .

[20]  Jan Feijen,et al.  Phase-Separation Processes in Polymer-Solutions in Relation to Membrane Formation , 1996 .

[21]  D. Meier,et al.  New techniques for determining domain morphologies in block copolymers , 1992 .

[22]  K. Ishizu,et al.  Orientation on microdomains of diblock copolymers , 1990 .

[23]  Russell,et al.  Neutron reflectivity studies of the surface-induced ordering of diblock copolymer films. , 1989, Physical review letters.

[24]  T. Hashimoto,et al.  Morphology of block polymers near a free surface , 1985 .

[25]  L. Lee.  Adhesion of high polymers. II. Wettability of elastomers , 1967 .

[26]  Soojin Park,et al.  Unexpected hexagonally perforated layer morphology of PS-b-PMMA block copolymer in supported thin film , 2006 .

[27]  C. Rijn.  Nano and micro engineered membrane technology , 2004 .

[28]  J. Caro,et al.  Basic Principles of Membrane Technology , 1998 .

[29]  Philip J. Cox,et al.  Physical properties of polymers handbook , 1997 .

[30]  D. Grubb,et al.  New techniques in polymer microscopy , 1996 .

[31]  P. Vacca,et al.  Free surface morphology of block copolymers: 1. Styrene-butadiene diblock copolymers , 1995 .

[32]  Jae‐Suk Lee,et al.  Polymerization of monomers containing functional silyl groups. 5. Synthesis of new porous membranes with functional groups , 1988 .