Supramolecular polymer-assisted manipulation of triblock copolymers: understanding the relationships between microphase structures and mechanical properties

Block copolymers with specific microphase-separated structures are a class of important reprocessable elastomers. Numerous approaches have been applied to modify their structures and properties, whereas incorporating supramolecular polymers into the microphase structures has never been achieved. Herein, we report two triblock copolymers in ABA and BAB forms whose hard domains are the A blocks connected by a crown ether-based supramolecular polymer. The ABA triblock copolymer features a regularly distributed hard domain and a tight network, and the rupture of the hard domain is ready to occur upon relatively small deformation. The BAB triblock copolymer shows a hierarchical structure including soft, hard, and secondary hard domains, which results in a relatively tough network. Our work represents a step forward in modifying the phase structures of block copolymers, and would promote the development of block copolymers with emergent properties.

Automated summary

This study reports two triblock copolymers in ABA and BAB forms, with their hard domains composed of crown ether-based supramolecular polymers. The ABA copolymer features a tight network with a regularly distributed hard domain, while the BAB copolymer shows a hierarchical structure with soft, hard, and secondary hard domains, resulting in a relatively tough network. This work represents progress in modifying the phase structures of block copolymers and could contribute to the development of block copolymers with emergent properties.