SFB TRR 102 Polymers und multiple constraints / B7 Mesomorphic organization of hydrophobic chains in Langmuir at the air/water interface and in Langmuir-Blodgett films on solid supports

This project intends to study the behaviour of amphiphilic block copolymers at the air-water interface. The poly(isobutylene) (PIB) block is synthesized by cationic polymerization and the poly(ethylene oxide) blocks are commercially available. They are functionalized with alkine- or azide endgroups and 'clicked' via copper catalyzed Huisgen cycloaddition. Different linear di- and triblock copolymers as well as star block copolymers are synthesized. The block copolymers are spread from chloroform solution on a Langmuir trough and after solvent evaporation, the surface pressure (?) is determined as a function of the mean molecular area (mmA). The focus of the investigations is the mesomorphic organization of the PIB chains directly on the water surface. Domain formation (crystallization kinetics) is studied by Brewster angle microscopy and the molecular orientation of PIB chains is analyzed by infrared reflection absorption spectroscopy (IRRAS).