The confinement of polymeric materials to nanoscale domains results in largeperturbations of the physical properties and dynamics.  A series of block copolymers based on norbornene-type monomers have been prepared and studied.  To better understand the localized dynamic processes in thin films of block copolymers a polymerizable molecular rotor probe molecule has been designed, synthesized and incorporated into the block copolymers at various locations along the polymer backbone.  The fluorescence emission quantum yield of the molecular rotor, which undergoes a twisted intramolecular charge transfer state, is sensitive to the viscosity and free volume of its immediate surroundings.  When studying thin filmsof these copolymers the change in quantum yield of the rotor as a function oftemperature is indicative of local polymer dynamics.  Additionally, when cast into thin films and annealed through various processes, these films showed distinct phasesegregation and long range order when studied using atomic force microscopy.

Utilization of molecular rotors to probe local dynamics in self-assembled block copolymer materials

240th National Meeting (2010)

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