Transfer of supramolecular chirality in block copoly(thiophene)s.

Conjugated block copolymers have received considerable attention in recent years, as they hold promise, for instance for solar cells and nanoelectronics. Block copolymers consisting of one conjugated block and one or more nonconjugated, usually coil-like blocks, have been shown to possess a variety of defined morphologies which differ from those of the parent conjugated homopolymers. However, since the nonconjugated segments do not contribute electronically to the material, their role remains restricted to the self-assembly. In contrast, different morphologies and unique electronic properties can be expected for conjugated block copolymers composed of two, electronically different blocks. For instance, Tu et al. showed that conjugated block copolymers can form morphologies which differ from those of a blend of their homopolymers and that the morphology and corresponding optical properties of amphiphilic block copolymers depend on the solvent conditions. Here, we show that the electronic properties and the supramolecular organization of one conjugated block can also be influenced by the other conjugated block.