Long PEO-based nanoribbons generated in a polystyrene matrix through reaction-induced microphase separation followed by a fast crystallization process

Abstract

A dispersion of elongated nanostructures with a high aspect ratio in polymer matrices has been reported to provide a material with valuable properties such as mechanical strength, barrier effect and shape memory, among others. In this study, we show the procedure to achieve a distribution of elongated crystalline nanodomains in a PS matrix employing the self-assembly of amphiphilic block copolymers (BCP). The selected BCP was polystyrene-block-polyethylene oxide (PS-b-PEO). It was dissolved at 10 wt% in a styrene (St) monomer and the blend was slowly photopolymerized over four days at room temperature, until the reaction was arrested by vitrification. This blend was initially homogeneous and nanostructuration took place in an early stage of the polymerization as a result of the microphase separation (MS) of PEO blocks. Due to its high tendency to crystallize, demixed PEO blocks crystallized almost concomitantly with MS triggering the growing of the nanostructures. Thus, the time window between the onset of crystallization and the vitrification of the matrix was almost four days, allowing all micelles to have the opportunity to couple to a growing nanostructure. As a result, a population of nanoribbons with average lengths surpassing 10 μm dispersed in a PS matrix was obtained. It was demonstrated that these ribbon-like nanostructures are preserved as long as the heating temperature is located below the T_g of the matrix. If the material is heated above this temperature, softening of the matrix allows the breakup of the molten PEO nanoribbons due to Plateau–Rayleigh instability.