Issue 53, 2014

Star-shaped POSS diblock copolymers and their self-assembled films

Abstract

Novel 16-arm, star-shaped POSS-containing diblock copolymers are first synthesized by methylmethacrylate (MMA) and methacrylisobutyl polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (MA-POSS) using a cetylfunctional initiator of octakis(dibromoethyl) POSS (POSS-(Br)16). Three well-defined copolymers of s-POSS-PMMA277.3-b-P(MA-POSS)5.8,16.4,25.4 are discussed. The introduction of P(MA-POSS) could provide the copolymer with excellent hydrophobic/oleophobic performance and thermal stability. Although the size of core–shell micelles of s-POSS-PMMA277.3-b-P(MA-POSS)5.8–25.4 does not increase linearly with increasing MA-POSS content due to different self-assembly behaviors and steric effects, surface roughness (0.44–1.41 nm) and water–hexadecane contact angles (108°/50°–120°/58°) of films, as well as thermal stability (Td = 350–380 °C, Tg = 112–125 °C) and storage modulus (842–1600 MPa) of copolymers increased linearly. The effect of solvents on self-assembled micelles and films indicates that 340–370 nm core–shell micelles, 330–370 nm sun-like stretching micelles and 180–200 nm three-layer-structured micelles are formed in tetrahydrofuran (THF), chloroform (CHCl3) and butanone (MEK) solution, respectively. The lowest surface free energy (17.48 m Nm−1) is produced by film casting from THF solution due to the highest surface roughness (1.12 nm) and Si content (6.01%). While, the lowest water absorptive (Δm = 3800 ng cm−2) and viscoelastic (ΔDf = −0.36) film is produced by CHCl3 solution, the film casting from MEK solution exhibits the highest water absorption (Δm = 6500 ng cm−2) and viscoelasticity (ΔDf = −0.15). This is the first example of a 16-arm, star-shaped POSS diblock copolymers, and can be used as solvent-dependent coatings.

Graphical abstract: Star-shaped POSS diblock copolymers and their self-assembled films

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
13 Apr 2014
Accepted
29 May 2014
First published
04 Jun 2014

RSC Adv., 2014,4, 27857-27866

Author version available

Star-shaped POSS diblock copolymers and their self-assembled films

A. Pan, S. Yang, L. He and X. Zhao, RSC Adv., 2014, 4, 27857 DOI: 10.1039/C4RA03337J

To request permission to reproduce material from this article, please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

If you are an author contributing to an RSC publication, you do not need to request permission provided correct acknowledgement is given.

If you are the author of this article, you do not need to request permission to reproduce figures and diagrams provided correct acknowledgement is given. If you want to reproduce the whole article in a third-party publication (excluding your thesis/dissertation for which permission is not required) please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

Read more about how to correctly acknowledge RSC content.

Social activity

Spotlight

Advertisements