Study of associative behaviour of the triblock copolymer poly(1,4-phenylene)-b-polystyrene-b-poly(1,4-phenylene) in solution

Poly(l,4-phenylene)-b-polystyrene-b-poly(1,4-phenylene) (PPP-b-PS-b-PPP) block copolymers were synthesized by chemical modification of a precursor copolymer. After characterization by Size Exclusion Chromatography (S.E.C) and U.V. spectroscopy, PPP-b-PS-b-PPP copolymers were studied in THF solution at room temperature by viscosimetry and light-scattering analysis. We have shown the associative behavior of these triblock copolymers by their ability to form, with this molecular weight distribution, aggregates with a possible "flower-like" morphology constituted of a PPP "core" surrounded by PS "petals".