The exploration of nanoscale morphologies with three-dimensional spatial arrangements in block copolymers involves the manipulation of compositional fluctuations at interfaces, induction of conformational asymmetry, and design of complex architectures. Despite the abundance of triply periodic minimal surfaces identified to date, the experimental demonstration of thermodynamically stable complex nanostructures with high-packing frustration remains limited. This research update focuses on the importance of molecular interactions for stabilizing complex nanostructures and proposes the use of end-group chemistry as a versatile method for realizing thermodynamically stable network structures with high-packing frustration in simple linear diblock copolymers. The proposed approach substantially alters phase diagrams and reveals unprecedented network structures in block copolymers. Ongoing research has the potential to generate even more diverse and stable nanostructures, thereby advancing nanotechnology and expanding our understanding of polymers and materials science.

• Received 20 November 2023
• Accepted 16 January 2024

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevMaterials.8.020302

Published by the American Physical Society under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license. Further distribution of this work must maintain attribution to the author(s) and the published article's title, journal citation, and DOI.

Published by the American Physical Society

This article appears in the following collection:

Self-Assembly of Complex Phases in Block Copolymer Materials

The Editors of Physical Review Materials are pleased to present the Collection on Self-Assembly of Complex Phases in Block Copolymer Materials, highlighting one of the most exciting fields in polymer science. Block copolymers offer an excellent model system for comprehending symmetry breaking in soft matter, as well as a unique platform for designing nanostructured materials. This Collection is being guest-edited by Kevin Dorfman from the University of Minnesota and Chris Bates from the University of California - Santa Barbara.