Polymerization-induced phase separation using hydrogen-bonded supramolecular polymers

The concept of polymn.-induced phase sepn. with hydrogen-bonded supramol. polymers was investigated by the photopolymn. of films contg. mixts. of supramol. polymer 1a or 1b and varying amts. of monoacrylate and diacrylate with UV-A (320-400 nm) radiation (5 W/cm2) for 0.3 s. The extent of the phase sepn. after photopolymn. was detd. by differential scanning calorimetry and SEM, which showed that film 1 contg. no diacrylate is macrophase-sepd., while films 2 and 3 contg. 17.0 or 42.5% diacrylate are microphase-sepd. Increasing the amt. of diacrylates has a strong influence on the morphol. development, as it decreases the length scale of the phase sepn. by shortening the time available before vitrification sets in-in this way decreasing the crystallinity of the supramol. phase. Tensile tests and DMTA measurements showed that the mech. properties of the films contg. the hydrogen-bonded supramol. polymers are comparable to those films contg. covalent high mol. wt. polymers. [on SciFinder (R)