Polymer structures with tunable symmetry and sizes are desired for applications such as lithography, filtration membranes, and separation. Here we report the self-assembled supramolecular hexagonal columnar (ΦH) structures with tunable lattice size varying from 5 to 7 nm by constructing hydrogen-bonded copolymers bearing poly­(4-vinylpyridine) (P4VP) and two dendritic molecular additives, 1-[4′-(3″,4″,5″-tridecyloxybenzoyloxy)­phenyleneoxycarbonyl]-3-[(4″-hydroxyphenyl)­oxycarbonyl]­benzene (12CBP) and 4-hydroxyphenyl (3,4,5-tridecyloxy)­benzoate (12CTB). Despite the distinct molecular size difference between 12CBP and 12CTB, the resulting ternary supramolecular copolymers, P4VP­(12CBP) x (12CTB) y , possess a homogeneous ΦH phase at x ≥ 0.1 and y ≥ 0.2. Each column is constructed with P4VP as the backbone tethered with mixed side chains. The column diameter is between the size of the corresponding P4VP­(12CBP) x+y and P4VP­(12CTB) x+y and could be easily tuned by varying x and y. The enhancement of ΦH in supramolecular copolymers is attributed to the entropy effect of the mixed side chain and enthalpy effect from hydrogen bonding interaction of the P4VP backbone and two molecules (12CBP and 12CTB).

Polynorbornenes containing mesogenic side groups with a controlled number and substituted position were synthesized and their mesomorphic properties were systematically investigated.

No abstract

In this study, the properties of amide Gemini surfactants (DLP-12, DLP-14 and DLP-16) were investigated. The results showed that these surfactants have good wettability and solubility, but these properties deteriorate with increasing hydrophobic chain length. The critical micelle concentrations (CMC) measured by the Wilhelmy method and by the steady-state fluorescence spectroscopy were similar and showed the same trend: The CMC values decreased with increasing hydrophobic chain length. The solubilization capacities in toluene were (6320, 6440 and 6680) mL/mol for DLP-12, DLP-14 and DLP-16, respectively, indicating an improvement in solubilization ability. Thermal stability experiments showed that the initial decomposition temperatures of the three surfactants were (301, 320 and 331) °C, respectively, indicating good thermal stability of these surfactants.