Linear ABC triblock terpolymers offer unique opportunities to design new nanostructured materials with exotic morphologies due to their higher order multiblock sequences. However, the laborious synthesis and compositional complexity of ABC materials render any systematic investigation of self-assembly challenging. Here, we report a versatile and scalable strategy for the rapid generation of linear ABC triblock terpolymer libraries starting from a single parent sample using automated flash chromatography. Separations occur with predictable trends in the volume fractions and relative molecular weights of all three blocks, accelerating the study of phase space. In addition, fractionated triblocks exhibit higher quality morphologies compared to as-synthesized parent terpolymers as evidenced by small angle X-ray scattering. This operationally simple separation technique greatly accelerates the exploration of triblock terpolymer phase behavior across a wide range of compositions, molecular weights, and block sequences compared to conventional synthesis.

Facile access to linear ABC triblock terpolymer libraries via chromatographic separation

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