Effect of crystallization of the polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane block on self-assembly in hybrid organic-inorganic block copolymers with salt

We present a DSC and X-ray scattering study investigating the effect of polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (POSS) block crystallinity on self-assembly poly(acryloisobutyl silsesquioxane)-b-poly(ethylene oxide)-b-poly(acryloisobutyl silsesquioxane) (POSS-PEO-POSS) triblock copolymer poly(ethylene oxide)-b- (PEO-POSS) diblock copolymers mixed with lithium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide salt. The POSS in all copolymer/salt mixture organizes into rhombohedral crystal, similar to that homopolymer. Semicrystalline polymer/salt mixtures favor morphologies flat interfaces (i.e., lamellae) despite asymmetric nature copolymers; PEO/salt volume fractions range from 0 0.85. Coexisting lamellae hexagonally packed cylinders as well coexisting different domain spacings are seen many wherein is amorphous. Morphological phase transitions these systems vicinity crystallization temperature.