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Block copolymer photonic mesogels exhibiting dual volume phase transitions

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Abstract

Photonic mesogel films exhibiting brilliant photonic colors were prepared by selective swelling of polystyrene-b-quaternized poly(2-vinyl pyridine) (PS-b-QP2VP) block copolymers, and their volume phase transition behaviors were investigated in various solvent mixtures. The swollen PS-b-QP2VP lamellae segregate into mesophased gels where the highly swollen QP2VP gel layers are alternating with the glassy PS layers and exhibit strong responsive photonic colors in visible regime. Utilizing the changes of photonic stop bands, the swelling behaviors of the photonic mesogels were able to be monitored with sub-nanometer accuracy. Unusual dual volume phase transitions were observed at certain conditions where hydrogen bonding became significantly strong.

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Acknowledgments

This research was supported by the International Research & Development Program of the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) funded by the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology (MEST) of Korea (Grant number: K2010-00295, FY 2010), and the Industrial Strategic technology development program, 10041221, Core Technology of Materials funded by the Ministry of Knowledge Economy (MKE, Korea).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemistry, Research Institute for Natural Sciences, and Institute of Nano Science and Technology, Hanyang University, 222 Wangsimni-ro, Seongdong Gu, Seoul, 133-791, South Korea

    Yulim Jang, Jeyon Chung, Sungmin Lee, Hyunmin Lim, Heeyoel Baek & Youngjong Kang

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  1. Yulim Jang
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  2. Jeyon Chung
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  3. Sungmin Lee
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  4. Hyunmin Lim
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  5. Heeyoel Baek
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Correspondence to Youngjong Kang.

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Jang, Y., Chung, J., Lee, S. et al. Block copolymer photonic mesogels exhibiting dual volume phase transitions. Polym. Bull. 70, 593–601 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00289-012-0877-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00289-012-0877-9

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