Solvent-Driven Microdomain Ordering in PI-PS-PMMA Miktoarm Star Polymers

Matus Kalina; Babak Nouri; Merin Joseph; Beate Forster; Martin Dulle; Jonathan M. Gow; Dorthe Posselt; Martin C. Pedersen; Jacob J. K. Kirkensgaard; Gerd E. Schroder-Turk; Kristoffer Almdal

doi:10.1021/acs.macromol.6c00562

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Solvent-Driven Microdomain Ordering in PI-PS-PMMA Miktoarm Star Polymers

Journal article

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Solvent-Driven Microdomain Ordering in PI-PS-PMMA Miktoarm Star Polymers

Matus Kalina, Babak Nouri, Merin Joseph, Beate Forster, Martin Dulle, Jonathan M. Gow, Dorthe Posselt, Martin C. Pedersen, Jacob J. K. Kirkensgaard, Gerd E. Schroder-Turk, …

Macromolecules, In Press

2026

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.macromol.6c00562

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Abstract

Physical Sciences

Polymer Science

Science & Technology

The bulk morphology of ABC star polymers composed of polyisoprene (PI), polystyrene (PS), and poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) was investigated, examining the influence of the casting solvent on microphase separation. The lengths of the PI and PS arms were held constant, while the PMMA arm length varied systematically. Small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) and scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) reveal that solvent choice affects the resulting morphology. Acetone casting induces enhanced long-range order in the sample with the lowest PMMA volume fraction, characterized by a morphology exhibiting both hexagonal and lamellar-like periodicities, consistent with a hexagonally perforated lamella structure. This coexistence persists after thermal annealing, as SAXS profiles show no significant change upon heating and cooling. This behavior indicates a morphology that does not readily reorganize toward a single equilibrium structure, but instead reflects a nonequilibrium morphology resulting from solvent-dependent segregation pathways. Dissipative particle dynamics (DPD) simulations support this interpretation by reproducing pathway-dependent structural transitions.

Details

Title: Solvent-Driven Microdomain Ordering in PI-PS-PMMA Miktoarm Star Polymers
Authors/Creators: Matus Kalina - Technical University of Denmark
Babak Nouri - Technical University of Denmark
Merin Joseph - University of Copenhagen
Beate Forster - Forschungszentrum Jülich
Martin Dulle - Forschungszentrum Jülich
Jonathan M. Gow - Madrid Institute for Advanced Studies
Dorthe Posselt - Roskilde University
Martin C. Pedersen - Niels Brock
Jacob J. K. Kirkensgaard - University of Würzburg
Gerd E. Schroder-Turk - Australian National University
Kristoffer Almdal - Technical University of Denmark
Publication Details: Macromolecules, In Press
Publisher: American Chemical Society
Number of pages: 10
Grant note: NNF21OC0068491 / Novo Nordisk Fonden; Novo Nordisk Foundation
Identifiers: 991005904177207891
Murdoch Affiliation: School of Mathematics, Statistics, Chemistry and Physics
Language: English
Resource Type: Journal article

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