Miktoarm star polymers are a relatively new and unique class of macromolecules, which possess linear polymer chains of two or more different compositions radiating outward from a central branch point. Much emphasis has been recently placed in developing synthetic methodologies to these star polymers and examining their properties and phase-separated morphology as a function of arm composition and length. Morphology of miktoarm polymers has been shown to have a profound effect on their physical properties including mechanical, thermal, and diffusion. This work reports the morphologies of poly[(styrene-b-isobutylene)2-s-acrylic acidx] [(PS-PIB)2-s-PAAx] miktoarm star polymers with varying PAA content. Phase separation was characterized directly by transmission electron microcopy, quantum nanomechanical mapping via atomic force microscopy, and indirectly by dynamic mechanical analysis. These materials possess varying degrees of order within three-phase morphologies that contain elements of rods and lamellae that are arranged as a function of polyacrylic acid block composition in continuous polyisobutylene phases.

Morphological characterization of (PS-PIB)2-s-PAAx miktoarm star polymers

248th National Meeting (2014)

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