Nanophase-Separated Supramolecular Assemblies of Two Functionalized Polymers via Acid-Base Complexation

Preparation of block supramacromolecules usually requires precise synthesis of end-modified polymers as building blocks. Moreover, the efficiency of the formation of block supramacromolecules from the blends of end-modified polymers is strongly influenced by stoichiometry between noncovalent bonding groups on each end-modified polymer. To understand the morphological behavior of the blends at the nanoscopic scale, small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) measurements were conducted at room temperature at the beamline 15 A in the Photon Factory, Tsukuba, Japan. According to the theory by Semenov, the morphology formation of disklike multiplets and lamellae is more favored than spherical multiplets at so-called superstrong segregation limit between a charged component and an uncharged component, regardless of the very small fraction of a charged component.