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Single crystals of crystalline block copolymers formed in n ‐hexanol and methanol/DMF solutions: A comparative study
Author(s) -
Zhuo Wangqian,
Li Yanming,
Zhang Runke,
Huang Runsheng,
Zhou Jie,
Tong Zaizai,
Jiang Guohua
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
journal of applied polymer science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.575
H-Index - 166
eISSN - 1097-4628
pISSN - 0021-8995
DOI - 10.1002/app.45089
Subject(s) - crystallization , methanol , materials science , copolymer , lamellar structure , hexanol , chemical engineering , annealing (glass) , polymer chemistry , micelle , crystallography , chemistry , organic chemistry , composite material , polymer , aqueous solution , engineering , alcohol
Lamellar single crystals of poly(ɛ‐caprolactone) (PCL)‐based crystalline/liquid‐crystalline block copolymer (BCP) were prepared from two methods: solution crystallization in n ‐hexanol as well as addition of methanol dropwise to BCP/DMF solution. The crystalline morphologies of PCL single crystals prepared at different temperatures were investigated. It was observed that well‐developed single crystals were formed in n ‐hexanol at high crystallization temperatures, while low crystallization temperatures favored to fabricate well‐developed nanosheets in methanol/DMF. Annealing at the melting temperature of single crystals yielded the crystalline seeds and unimers in n ‐hexanol, while it formed spherical micelles in methanol/DMF system. As a result, the size of single crystals in n ‐hexanol could be tuned by addition of different ratios of unimer/seed. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2017 , 134 , 45089.