Archimedean tiling structures from ABA/CD block copolymer blends having intermolecular association with hydrogen bonding

Self-assembled phase structures of ABA/CD block copolymer blends were investigated. A pair of poly(2-vinylpyridine-block-isoprene-block-2-vinylpyridine) (PIP-91) whose molar ratio of polyisoprene and poly(2-vinylpyridine) is 0.93:0.07 and poly (styrene-block-4-hydroxystyrene) (SH-91) whose molar ratios is 0.86:0.14 were used as samples. Two component polymers. i.e., poly(2-vinylpyridine) and poly(4-hydroxystyrene), are confirmed to form complex via hydrogen-bonding interaction by H-1 nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) analysis. Structural observation using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) reveals that PIP-91/SH-91 blends form new regular three-phase cylindrical structures having I, S, and P/H phases, the third one being conformed of intermolecular complex from P and H chains. The cross sections of the structures show periodic two-dimensional tiling patterns from regular polygons, which must be due to "bridged" PIP chains. Consequently, new mesoscopic Archimedean tiling patterns, that is, (3(3),4(2)) and (3.4.6.4), have been formed from this blend system.