Issue 25, 2020

Oxidation promoted self-assembly of π-conjugated polymers

Abstract

Self-assembly is an attractive strategy for organizing molecules into ordered structures that can span multiple length scales. Crystallization Driven Self-Assembly (CDSA) involves a block copolymer with a crystallizable core-forming block and an amorphous corona-forming block that aggregate into micelles with a crystalline core in solvents that are selective for the corona block. CDSA requires core- and corona-forming blocks with very different solubilities. This hinders its use for the self-assembly of purely π-conjugated block copolymers since blocks with desirable optoelectronic properties tend to have similar solubilities. Further, this approach is not readily reversible, precluding stimulus-responsive assembly and disassembly. Here, we demonstrate that selective oxidative doping of one block of a fully π-conjugated block copolymer promotes the self-assembly of redox-responsive micelles. Heteroatom substitution in polychalcogenophenes enables the modulation of the intrinsic polymer oxidation potential. We show that oxidized micelles with a narrow size distribution form spontaneously and disassemble in response to a chemical reductant. This method expands the scope of π-conjugated polymers that can undergo controlled self-assembly and introduces reversible, redox-responsive self-assembly of π-conjugated polymers.

Graphical abstract: Oxidation promoted self-assembly of π-conjugated polymers

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Edge Article
Submitted
11 Feb 2020
Accepted
03 Apr 2020
First published
06 Apr 2020
This article is Open Access

All publication charges for this article have been paid for by the Royal Society of Chemistry
Creative Commons BY-NC license

Chem. Sci., 2020,11, 6383-6392

Oxidation promoted self-assembly of π-conjugated polymers

G. E. J. Hicks, C. N. Jarrett-Wilkins, J. R. Panchuk, J. G. Manion and D. S. Seferos, Chem. Sci., 2020, 11, 6383 DOI: 10.1039/D0SC00806K

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