Polymersomes with asymmetric membranes and self-assembled superstructures using pentablock quintopolymers resolved by electron tomography.

Polystyrene-block-poly(1,4-isoprene)-block-poly(dimethyl siloxane)-block-poly(tert-butyl methacrylate)-block-poly(2-vinyl pyridine), PS-b-PI-b-PDMS-b-PtBMA-b-P2VP, self-assembles in acetone into polymersomes with asymmetric (directional) PI-b-PDMS membranes. The polymersomes, in turn, self-assemble into superstructures. Analogically to supravesicular structures at a smaller length scale, we refer to them as suprapolymersome structures. Electron tomograms are shown to be invaluable in the structural assessment of such complex self-assemblies.

Molecular rheology of branched polymers: decoding and exploring the role of architectural dispersity through a synergy of anionic synthesis, interaction chromatography, rheometry and modeling.

An emerging challenge in polymer physics is the quantitative understanding of the influence of a macromolecular architecture (i.e., branching) on the rheological response of entangled complex polymers. Recent investigations of the rheology of well-defined architecturally complex polymers have determined the composition in the molecular structure and identified the role of side-products in the measured samples. The combination of different characterization techniques, experimental and/or theoretical, represents the current state-of-the-art. Here we review this interdisciplinary approach to molecular rheology of complex polymers, and show the importance of confronting these different tools for ensuring an accurate characterization of a given polymeric sample. We use statistical tools in order to relate the information available from the synthesis protocols of a sample and its experimental molar mass distribution (typically obtained from size exclusion chromatography), and hence obtain precise information about its structural composition, i.e. enhance the existing sensitivity limit. We critically discuss the use of linear rheology as a reliable quantitative characterization tool, along with the recently developed temperature gradient interaction chromatography. The latter, which has emerged as an indispensable characterization tool for branched architectures, offers unprecedented sensitivity in detecting the presence of different molecular structures in a sample. Combining these techniques is imperative in order to quantify the molecular composition of a polymer and its consequences on the macroscopic properties. We validate this approach by means of a new model asymmetric comb polymer which was synthesized anionically. It was thoroughly characterized and its rheology was carefully analyzed. The main result is that the rheological signal reveals fine molecular details, which must be taken into account to fully elucidate the viscoelastic response of entangled branched polymers. It is important to appreciate that, even optimal model systems, i.e., those synthesized with high-vacuum anionic methods, need thorough characterization via a combination of techniques. Besides helping to improve synthetic techniques, this methodology will be significant in fine-tuning mesoscopic tube-based models and addressing outstanding issues such as the quantitative description of the constraint release mechanism.

Probing glassy states in binary mixtures of soft interpenetrable colloids.

We present experimental evidence confirming the recently established rich dynamic state diagram of asymmetric binary mixtures of soft colloidal spheres. These mixtures consist of glassy suspensions of large star polymers to which different small stars are added at varying concentrations. Using rheology and dynamic light scattering measurements along with a simple phenomenological analysis, we show the existence of re-entrance and multiple glassy states, which exhibit distinct features. Cooperative diffusion, as a probe for star arm interpenetration, is proven to be sensitive to the formation of the liquid pockets which signal the melting of the large-star-glass upon addition of small stars. These results provide ample opportunities for tailoring the properties of soft colloidal glasses.

Does Brillouin light scattering probe the primary glass transition process at temperatures well above glass transition?

The primary alpha-relaxation time (tau(alpha)) for molecular and polymeric glass formers probed by dielectric spectroscopy and two light scattering techniques (depolarized light scattering and photon correlation spectroscopy) relates to the decay of the torsional autocorrelation function computed by molecular dynamics simulation. It is well known that Brillouin light scattering spectroscopy (BLS) operating in gigahertz frequencies probes a fast (10-100 ps) relaxation of the longitudinal modulus M*. The characteristic relaxation time, irrespective of the fitting procedure, is faster than the alpha-relaxation which obeys the non-Arrhenius Vogel-Fulcher-Tammann equation. Albeit, this has been noticed, it remains a puzzling finding in glass forming systems. The available knowledge is based only on temperature dependent BLS experiments performed, however, at a single wave vector (frequency). Using a new BLS spectrometer, we studied the phonon dispersion at gigahertz frequencies in molecular [o-terphenyl (OTP)] and polymeric [polyisoprene (PI) and polypropylene (PP)] glass formers. We found that the hypersonic dispersion does relate to the glass transition dynamics but the disparity between the BLS-relaxation times and tau(alpha) is system dependent. In PI and PP, the former is more than one order of magnitude faster than tau(alpha), whereas the two relaxation times become comparable in the case of OTP. The difference between the two relaxation times appears to relate to the "breadth" of the relaxation time distribution function. In OTP the alpha-relaxation process assumes a virtually single exponential decay at high temperatures well above the glass transition temperature, in clear contrast with the case of the amorphous bulk polymers.

Asymmetric caging in soft colloidal mixtures.

The long-standing observations that different amorphous materials exhibit a pronounced enhancement of viscosity and eventually vitrify on compression or cooling continue to fascinate and challenge scientists, on the ground of their physical origin and practical implications. Glass formation is a generic phenomenon, observed in physically quite distinct systems that encompass hard and soft particles. It is believed that a common underlying scenario, namely cage formation, drives dynamical arrest, especially at high concentrations. Here, we identify a novel, asymmetric glassy state in soft colloidal mixtures, which is characterized by strongly anisotropically distorted cages, bearing similarities to those of hard-sphere glasses under shear. The anisotropy is induced by the presence of soft additives. This phenomenon seems to be generic to soft colloids and its origins lie in the penetrability of the constituent particles. The resulting phase diagram for mixtures of soft particles is clearly distinct from that of hard-sphere mixtures and brings forward a rich variety of vitrified states that delineate an ergodic lake in the parameter space spanned by the size ratio between the two components and by the concentration of the additives. Thus, a new route opens for the rational design of soft particles with desired tunable rheological properties.

Effect of chain topology on the self-organization and dynamics of block copolypeptides: from diblock copolymers to stars.

The effect of chain topology on (i) the peptide secondary structure, (ii) the nanophase self-assembly, and (iii) the local segmental and global peptide relaxations has been studied in a series of model diblock and 3-arm star copolypeptides of poly(epsilon-carbobenzyloxy-L-lysine) (PZLL) and poly(gamma-benzyl-L-glutamate) (PBLG) with PZLL forming the core. Diblock copolypeptides are nanophase separated with PBLG and PZLL domains comprising alpha-helices packed in a hexagonal lattice. Star copolypeptides are only weakly phase separated, comprising PBLG and PZLL alpha-helices in a pseudohexagonal lattice. Phase mixing has profound consequences on the local and global dynamics. The relaxation of the peptide secondary structure speeds up, and the helix persistence length is further reduced in the stars, signifying an increased concentration of helical defects.

Nanodomain-induced chain folding in poly(gamma-benzyl-L-glutamate)-b-polyglycine diblock copolymers.

We report on the self-assembly mechanism and dynamics in a series of poly(gamma-benzyl-l-glutamate)-b-poly(glycine) (PBLG-b-PGly) diblock copolymers within the composition range 0.67 < or = f(PBLG) < or = 0.97 and the temperature (T) range 303 < T < 433 K. Small- and wide-angle X-ray scattering, (13)C NMR, and differential scanning calorimetry are used for the structure investigation coupled with dielectric spectroscopy for both the peptide secondary structure and the associated dynamics. These techniques provide not only the nanophase morphology but also the type and persistence of peptide secondary structures. The thermodynamic confinement of the blocks within the nanodomains and the disparity in their packing efficiency results in multiple chain folding of the PGly secondary structure that effectively stabilize a lamellar morphology for high f(PBLG). Nanoscale confinement proves to be important in controlling the persistence length of secondary peptide motifs.

"Glass transition" in peptides: temperature and pressure effects.

We report on the origin of the liquid-to-glass transition in a series of oligopeptides of gamma-benzyl-L-glutamate up to the polymer (PBLG), and in Poly-Z-L-lysine (PZLL) and Polyglycine (PGly) using dielectric spectroscopy as a function of temperature and pressure. We show that temperature is the dominant control variable of the dynamics associated with the peptidic "glass transition." This is an intrinsic feature of the peptide dynamics, irrespective of the type of amino acid and of the peptide secondary structure. The influence of the type of secondary structure (alpha helix vs beta sheet) on the liquid-to-glass dynamics is discussed.

Tailoring the flow of soft glasses by soft additives.

We examine the vitrification and melting of asymmetric star polymer mixtures by combining rheological measurements with mode coupling theory. We identify two types of glassy states, a single glass, in which the small component is fluid in the glassy matrix of the big one, and a double glass, in which both components are vitrified. Addition of small-star polymers leads to melting of both glasses, and the melting curve has a nonmonotonic dependence on the star-star size ratio. The phenomenon opens new ways for externally steering the rheological behavior of soft matter systems.

High frequency acoustic excitations in ordered diblock copolymer studied by inelastic x-ray scattering.

The phonon propagation in lamellar nanostructures formed via self-assembling of short styrene-b-isoprene (SI) as well as of its more incompatible styrene-b-(ethylene-alt-propylene) (SEP) counterpart was studied by inelastic x-ray scattering. Irrespective of the physical state of the block copolymers, a single acoustic phonon was observed in SI (ordered and disordered) and SEP (ordered). At GHz frequencies, inelastic light scattering from the same samples revealed very small dispersion in the sound phase velocity but a short phonon lifetime.

Effect of end-group sticking energy on the properties of polymer brushes: comparing experiment and theory.

Using surface force balance measurements we have established that polystyrene chains bearing three zwitterionic groups have a higher end-group sticking energy than equivalent chains bearing a single zwitterionic group. In a good solvent, polystyrene chains end-functionalized with three zwitterionic groups form brushes of a higher surface coverage than those bearing a single zwitterion. The increase in surface coverage is slow compared with the initial formation of the brush. Measurements of the refractive index allow us to directly quantify the variation of surface coverage, permitting comparison with models for the kinetics of brush formation based on scaling theory and an analytical self-consistent field. We find qualitative support for associating the kinetic barrier with the energy required for an incoming chain to stretch as it penetrates the existing brush.

Micelles of poly(isoprene-b-2-vinylpyridine-b-ethylene oxide) terpolymers in aqueous media and their interaction with surfactants.

Well-defined poly(isoprene-b-2-vinylpyridine-b-ethylene oxide) (PI-P2VP-PEO) triblock terpolymers were synthesized by anionic polymerization high-vacuum techniques. The terpolymers formed spherical three-layer (onion-type) micelles in neutral and acidic pH aqueous media as evidenced by static and dynamic light scattering. In pure water, kinetically frozen micelles with a core composed of a soft PI inner part and a hard P2VP outer shell and protected by a neutral PEO corona were formed. In acidic media the core was formed by the soft PI hydrophobic segment, whereas the corona consisted of an inner cationic polyelectrolyte P2VPH+ part and an outer PEO shell. The aggregation numbers were found to be high in all cases, due to the high hydrophobicity of the core-forming blocks. In the latter case an increase in size was observed due to the electrostatic repulsions between the P2VPH+ chains in the inner part of the corona, which is also responsible for the lower aggregation numbers observed in the acidic solutions. The interaction of these onion-type micelles with cationic (DTMAB) and anionic (SDS) surfactants led to the formation of mixed polymer/surfactant aggregates. Their structural characteristics could be varied by combining changes in surfactant type and concentration, solution pH and type of electrostatic interaction, leading to interesting, block-copolymer-based, environmentally responsive colloidal systems.

Pattern formation in homogeneous polymer solutions induced by a continuous-wave visible laser.

We report an unexpected nonphotothermal material organization induced by continuous-wave visible laser light at low power levels. This effect is observed along the laser beam propagation direction in fully transparent entangled solutions of common homopolymers featuring sufficiently high molecular mass and optical anisotropy along the chain backbone. The resulting formation of long-lived stringlike or dotlike patterns on the micrometer scale, probed by dark-field coherent imaging, depends on the molecular mass, architecture, solvent nature, and polymer concentration. Electrostrictive and alignment forces as well as chain cooperativity are responsible for the osmotic compression of the polymer solute. Subsequent waveguiding effects induce autoamplification and "pattern writing" upon prolonged illumination. This wave-medium coupling could potentially lead to photorefractive, microoptics, and nanotechnology applications.

Ordered bicontinuous nanoporous and nanorelief ceramic films from self assembling polymer precursors

Three-dimensional ceramic nanostructured films were produced from silicon-containing triblock copolymer films exhibiting the double gyroid and inverse double gyroid morphologies (space group Ia3d). A one-step room-temperature oxidation process that used ozonolysis and ultraviolet irradiation effected both the selective removal of the hydrocarbon block and the conversion of the silicon-containing block to a silicon oxycarbide ceramic stable to 400 degrees C. Depending on the relative volume fraction of the hydrocarbon block to the silicon- containing block, either nanoporous or nanorelief structures were fabricated with calculated interfacial areas of approximately 40 square meters per gram and pore or strut sizes of approximately 20 nanometers.