Using living crystallization-driven self-assembly to form functional π-conjugated nanostructures for potential optoelectronic device applications
Date
2024
Authors
Vespa, Marcus A.
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Abstract
At the micro- and nanoscale, mimicking the level of complex organization observed in nature is difficult, and reproduction of these materials has been a key challenge in the fields of materials science and synthetic chemistry. Solution self-assembly of amphiphilic block copolymers (BCPs) is a promising route towards the construction of nanoscale assemblies with various sizes, morphologies, and material properties. Living crystallization-driven self-assembly (CDSA) of polymers with a crystallizable core-forming block has emerged as a valuable method to exert control over the dimensions of one- and two-dimensional (1D and 2D) nanostructures. This method reliably produces nanostructures with predictable sizes and low size distributions.
Due to the variety of BCPs capable of crystallization, a wide array of hierarchically organized nanostructures have been fabricated which show promising potential for application to a broad assortment of fields such as optoelectronics, biomedicine, and catalysis. The work presented in this thesis focuses on expanding the library of materials known to be compatible with living CDSA by introducing a new crystallizable π-conjugated core-forming block. This work also seeks to extend controlled self-assembly techniques in systems where precise nanoscale control is highly sought-after and deepen our understanding of the processes that govern π-conjugated block copolymer self-assembly by establishing structure-property relationships; the practical realization of which are all key goals in modern energy, materials, and nanoscience research.
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Keywords
self-assembly, nanoscience, π-conjugated, living crystallization-driven self-assembly, optoelectronic device, polymer science, block copolymer