Dendritic assemblies characterization

Percec and coworkers [184] utilized a similar strategy for the conversion of perfluorinated alkylene functionalized 3,4,5-trihydroxy benzoic acid-type dendrons into methyl methacrylate functionalized dendritic macromonomers. Characterization of the resulting linear-dendritic architectural copolymers involved DSC, x-ray diffraction, and thermal optical polarized microscopy. It was concluded that the self-assembly of the pendant dendritic mesogens forced the linear backbone into a tilted, helical ribbon-type structure. The self-assembly behavior was largely controlled by the multiplicity, composition, and molecular weights of the pendant dendritic mesogens. 

Atomic Force Microscopy for the Characterization of Dendritic Polymers and Assemblies... 

This chapter describes the use of AFM as a methodology for characterizing dendritic macromolecules and their self-assembled films. Systematic AFM studies of the PAMAM dendrimers properties (e.g. their size, shape, rigidity, packing textures and molecular weight calculations) will be fully addressed in this chapter. 

The structural state of dendritic macromolecules at air-water (Langmuir mono-layers) and air-solid (adsorbed monolayers, self-assembled films and cast films) interfaces have been reviewed by Tsukruk [17]. Although this work summarizes various characterization techniques for dendritic films by AFM techniques, in this chapter, we will present recent progress on the characterization of the dendritic film surface morphologies. 

The synthesis and bulk and solution properties of block copolymers having nonlinear architectures are reviewed. These materials include star-block copolymers, graft copolymers, mik-toarm 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. 

Using a variation of this dendritic macromonomer method, Percec et al. [149,150] synthesized a variety of dendritic 7-oxanorbornene macromonomers and polymerized them with ROMP catalysts [150] as shown in Fig. 25, as well as with free radical or anionic catalysts. Yields were dependent upon the route used. Products were characterized by DSC, C-NMR, and X-ray scattering. It was proposed that the resulting structures were mesogen-assembled supramolecu-lar columns possessing single chain helicity. 

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