Spontaneous bulk organization of molecular assemblers based on aliphatic polyether and/or poly(benzyl ether) dendrons

Abstract

This paper reviews our recent research with regard to bulk self-assemblers based on well-defined branched building blocks. Branched molecules/polymers have been known to show different physical properties from conventional linear-shaped polymers. As well as thermal and solution properties, structural modification into branched building blocks also has a significant influence on self-assembling behavior in the bulk states, including solid and liquid crystalline (LC) phases. As a branched component, dendrons/dendrimers with well-defined structures can be ideal candidates for the construction of advanced self-assemblers. Recently, we worked on new assembling systems such as dendron-coils, block codendrimers and discotic LC molecules. In the design, we used aliphatic polyether dendrons in most cases and poly(benzyl ether) dendrons in part. Their bulk assembling and thermal properties were found to be distinct from conventional linear block copolymers and they were dependent upon their chain architectures. To self-assemble into ordered nanostructures, the hybrid assembers were designed to have incompatible blocks, for example, hydrophilic and hydrophobic parts. Furthermore, in some cases an ionic complexation was carried out to maximize the immiscibility between the two different blocks. This review describes the molecular manipulations to engineer the nanoassemblies in bulk and also the ionic transportation properties depending on the assembling morphology. © 2012 The Society of Polymer Science, Japan (SPSJ) All rights.