Induction of periodic nanostructures in polythiophene films through block copolymer templating

ABSTRACT A new class of periodically nanostructured polythiophene materials with high regularity and numerous morphologies is prepared through the cooperative self‐assembly of polythiophene derivatives with a templating block copolymer (BCP) and poly(1,4‐isoprene)‐block‐poly(methacrylic acid) (PMA). The selection of the hydrophilic and aprotic triethylene glycol (TEG) group as side chains on polythiophene and the use of hydrophilic and protic PMA are crucial to producing well‐ordered nanostructures in polythiophene films, as it enables selective coassembly within the hydrophilic domain through hydrogen bonding. The composite films are shown to have formed hexagonally packed cylinders with 28 nm periodicities based on small‐angle X‐ray scattering and transmission electron microscopy. The formation of hydrogen bonding is revealed by a shift in the carbonyl peak of PMA in the Fourier transform infrared spectra of the composite film relative to the neat film. This suggests that the TEG‐functionalized polythiophene selectively incorporates into PMA. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2019, 57, 1105–1112 Periodic nanostructures in polythiophene films are prepared through the cooperative self‐assembly of polythiophene derivatives with a templating block copolymer, poly(1,4‐isoprene) (PI)‐block‐poly(methacrylic acid) (PMA). The selection of the hydrophilic and aprotic triethylene glycol group as side chains on polythiophene and the use of hydrophilic and protic PMA are crucial to producing well‐ordered nanostructures in polythiophene composite films, enabling selective coassembly within the hydrophilic domain through hydrogen bonding. The fabrication of porous films is then demonstrated by selectively decomposing PI through ozonolysis.