One-dimensional optical reflectors based on self-organization of polymeric comb-shaped supramolecules.

We demonstrate that complexation of dodecylbenzenesulphonic acid, DBSA, to a diblock copolymer of polystyrene- block-poly(4-vinylpyridine), PS- block-P4VP, leads to polymeric supramolecules PS- block-P4VP(DBSA)y (y = 1.0, 1.5, and 2.0), which self-organize with a particularly large lamellar periodicity in excess of 1000 A. The structures consist of alternating PS and P4VP(DBSA)y layers, where the latter contains smaller internal structure, probably lamellar. The DBSA side chains are bonded to the pyridines by protonation and hydrogen bonding and they effectively plasticize the material. In this way relatively well-developed structures are obtained even without annealing or macroscopic alignment. Transmission and reflectance measurements show that a relatively narrow and incomplete bandgap exists for supramolecules of high molecular weight block copolymer at ca. 460 nm.