A polymerization-induced self-assembly process for all-styrenic nano-objects using the living anionic polymerization mechanism

We report the combination of the living anionic polymerization (LAP) mechanism with the polymerization-induced self-assembly (PISA) process, and the all-styrenic diblock copolymer poly(p-tert-butylstyrene)-b-polystyrene (PtBS-b-PS) based LAP PISA. Firstly, the practicability and controllability of the LAP PISA were successfully confirmed by the well-controlled molecular weight (MW) and narrow molecular weight distribution (M_w/M_n < 1.10). Subsequently, the effect of key factors, including the MWs of PtBS and PS segments, targeted MW ratio M_n,PS/M_n,PtBS, and weight solids content, on the morphological evolution was investigated, and the phase diagram was finally presented.