Orientationally controlled nanoporous cylindrical domains in polystyrene-b-poly(ferrocenylethylmethylsilane) block copolymer films

The self-assembly of thin films of organometallic cylinder-forming amorphous polystyrene-block-polyferrocenylsilane diblock copolymers is described. By varying film thickness and/or the conditions of toluene during evaporation annealing, well-ordered arrays of hexagonally packed iron-rich cylindrical microdomains oriented either parallel to or normal to the substrate were produced. In the latter case, when the film thickness was very small (12-15 nm), well-defined nanoporous cylindrical domains were found. This unique morphology persists in UV ozone etched films where inorganic, ring-like cylindrical domains were produced. By varying the rate of solvent evaporation from solvent-swollen films, control over the orientation, order, and size of the cylindrical microdomains was achieved and variation of the fundamental morphology was observed.