Double-gyroid morphology of a polystyrene-block-poly(ferrocenylethylmethylsilane) diblock copolymer: a route to ordered bicontinuous nanoscale architectures

Gwyther, J., Lotze, G., Hamley, I. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4549-0926 and Manners, I. (2011) Double-gyroid morphology of a polystyrene-block-poly(ferrocenylethylmethylsilane) diblock copolymer: a route to ordered bicontinuous nanoscale architectures. Macromolecular Chemistry and Physics, 212 (2). pp. 198-201. ISSN 1022-1352 doi: 10.1002/macp.201000496

Abstract/Summary

A polystyrene-block-poly(ferrocenylethylmethylsilane) diblock copolymer, displaying a double-gyroid morphology when self-assembled in the solid state, has been prepared with a PFEMS volume fraction phi(PFMS)=0.39 and a total molecular weight of 64 000 Da by sequential living anionic polymerisation. A block copolymer with a metal-containing block with iron and silicon in the main chain was selected due to its plasma etch resistance compared to the organic block. Self-assembly of the diblock copolymer in the bulk showed a stable, double-gyroid morphology as characterised by TEM. SAXS confirmed that the structure belonged to the Ia3d space group.