Microdomain

It is well known that block copolymers and graft copolymers composed of incompatible sequences form the self-assemblies (the microphase separations). These morphologies of the microphase separation are governed by Molau s law [1] in the solid state. Nowadays, not only the three basic morphologies but also novel morphologies, such as ordered bicontinuous double diamond structure, are reported [2-6]. The applications of the microphase separation are also investigated [7-12]. As one of the applications of the microphase separation of AB diblock copolymers, it is possible to synthesize coreshell type polymer microspheres upon crosslinking the spherical microdomains [13-16]. 

The core-shell type polymer microspheres were synthesized upon the chemical crosslinking of the spherical microdomains in the microphase separated films. The block copolymers were dissolved in 1,1,2-trichloroeth-... 

The block copolymer and the microsphere were cast from polymer-benzene solution on a Teflon sheet. The solution was gradually dried at room temperature. Film was microtomed vertically at 80 nm thick by the Ul-traCut-N (Reichert Nissei). In order to obtain enough contrast for TEM observation, the P4VP microdomains in the film were stained with OSO4. The film was observed by TEM (JEOL CX-100) at 100 kV. 

When r was less than 0.46 (Fig. 9a), the P4VP layer surrounded some microspheres in groups (r = 0.33). The K r = 0.33 was 2.48. This indicates that the amount of B1 block copolymer was insufficient to surround each microsphere separately. When r was larger than 0.46 (Fig. 9c), the wide dark regions of P4VP were also observed. These regions were horizontally oriented lamellar microdomains of Bl, resulting in a minimization... 

Figure 13 Schematic arrangement of the microdomains of microsphere and block copolymer [37].

Figure 14 Radius distribution functions (a) between the P4VP cores of the microspheres, (b) from P4VP core to P2VP spherical microdomains, (c) from P2VP spherical microdomain to P4VP core, and (d) between P2VP spherical microdomains [37].

Llinas, R., Sugimori, M., and Silver, R. B. (1992). Microdomains of high calcium concentration in a presynaptic terminal. Science 256 677-679. 

Morishima etal. [29 — 31] prepared amphiphilic copolymers of 2-acrylamido-2-methylpropanesulfonic acid (AMPS) with various hydrophobic comonomers, and studied the tendency of their self-aggregation and the nature of the hydrophobic microdomains thus formed in aqueous solution. Chart 1 shows some of these amphiphilic copolymers. Here, the value of x indicates the mol% content of hydrophobic comonomer units. 

The formation of a microphase structure can be sensitively detected by using hydrophobic fluorescent probes. Hydrophobic microdomains tend to solubilize hydrophobic small molecules present together in aqueous solution. For example, diphenylhexatriene (DHT) is hydrophobically bound to the St aggregates in ASt-x in aqueous solution and, as a result, the fluorescence intensity is greatly enhanced. Figure 9 shows the fluorescence intensity of DHT in the presence of ASt-x relative to the intensity in its absence (I/I0) as a function of the ASt-x concentration [29],... 

A pronounced enhancement of the fluorescence intensity occurs when the St content in ASt-x is higher than 55 mol%, again, indicating that a hydrophobic microdomain is formed at the critical St content. 

Despite the fact that the Phen moieties are tightly incorporated in the compartment of the hydrophobic microdomain, the fluorescence from the Phen residues in poly(A/St/Phen) is very efficiently quenched by MV2+ in aqueous solution. The quenching efficiency is much higher than the APh-2 (8 with x = 2)... 

The time profiles of the absorbance due to MV+ at 600 nm are illustrated in Figures 18. Note that they depend on the MV2+ concentration. The curves for the poly(A/St/Phen)-MV2+ systems are biphasic and can be explained in terms of a simple mechanism illustrated in Scheme 2. Here, D A, A represents a compartmentalized Phen moiety (D) and MV2+ dications (A) bound to the hydrophobic microdomain. 

Zaccolo M, Pozzan T (2002) Discrete microdomains with high concentration of cAMP in stimulated rat neonatal cardiac myocytes. Science 295 1711-1715... 

Fyn is a nonreceptor tyrosine kinase related to Src that is frequently found in cell junctions. Die protein is N-myristoylated and palmitoylated and thereby becomes associated with caveolae-like membrane microdomains. Fyn can interact with a variety of other signaling molecules and control a diversity of biological processes such as T cell receptor signaling, regulation of brain function, and adhesion mediated signaling. 

While thin polymer films may be very smooth and homogeneous, the chain conformation may be largely distorted due to the influence of the interfaces. Since the size of the polymer molecules is comparable to the film thickness those effects may play a significant role with ultra-thin polymer films. Several recent theoretical treatments are available [136-144,127,128] based on Monte Carlo [137-141,127, 128], molecular dynamics [142], variable density [143], cooperative motion [144], and bond fluctuation [136] model calculations. The distortion of the chain conformation near the interface, the segment orientation distribution, end distribution etc. are calculated as a function of film thickness and distance from the surface. In the limit of two-dimensional systems chains segregate and specific power laws are predicted [136, 137]. In 2D-blends of polymers a particular microdomain morphology may be expected [139]. Experiments on polymers in this area are presently, however, not available on a molecular level. Indications of order on an... 

In a discussion of these results, Bertrand et al. [596,1258] point out that S—T behaviour is not a specific feature of any restricted group of hydrates and is not determined by the nature of the residual phase, since it occurs in dehydrations which yield products that are amorphous or crystalline and anhydrous or lower hydrates. Reactions may be controlled by interface or diffusion processes. The magnitudes of S—T effects observed in different systems are not markedly different, which indicates that the controlling factor is relatively insensitive to the chemical properties of the reactant. From these observations, it is concluded that S—T behaviour is determined by heat and gas diffusion at the microdomain level, the highly localized departures from equilibrium are not, however, readily investigated experimentally. 

Scheme 4.8 Secondary structure in polyurethanes hard and soft block microdomains.

Halogenonitroaromatic compound, 295 Hard-block domain structure, 218-219 Hard-block microdomain, 215 Hard-block/soft-block phase separation, 220... 

Microdomain stmcture is a consequence of microphase separation. It is associated with processability and performance of block copolymer as TPE, pressure sensitive adhesive, etc. The size of the domain decreases as temperature increases [184,185]. At processing temperature they are in a disordered state, melt viscosity becomes low with great advantage in processability. At service temperamre, they are in ordered state and the dispersed domain of plastic blocks acts as reinforcing filler for the matrix polymer [186]. This transition is a thermodynamic transition and is controlled by counterbalanced physical factors, e.g., energetics and entropy. 

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