Nonlinear block copolymer architectures

The synthesis and bulk and solution properties of block copolymers having nonlinear architectures are reviewed. These materials include star-block copolymers, graft copolymers, miktoarm star copolymers, and complex architectures such as umbrella polymers and certain dendritic macromolecules. Emphasis is placed on the synthesis of well-defined, well-characterized materials. Such polymers serve as model materials for understanding the effects of architecture on block copolymer self-assembly, in bulk and in solution.