SELF-ASSEMBLED SMECTIC PHASES IN ROD-COIL BLOCK-COPOLYMERS

Rod-coil block copolymers are self-assembling polymers that combine th e physics of orientational ordering of rodlike polymers and the microp hase separation of coil-coil block copolymers. Several new solid-state morphologies were observed in a series of anionically synthesized mod el poly(hexyl isocyanate-b-styrene) rod-coil diblock copolymers examin ed by transmission electron microscopy and selected-area electron diff raction. The rod-coils formed smectic C-like and O-like morphologies w ith domain sizes ranging from tens of nanometers to almost 1 micromete r, Both structural and orientational changes were found for increasing rod volume fractions. In addition, some morphologies exhibited sponta neous long-range orientational order over many tens of micrometers.