ABSTRACT
Recent progress in materials chemistry allows us to freely design advanced materials with almost arbitrarily controllable multifunctions. Liquid-crystalline block copolymers (LCBCs) are one of such kinds of materials, which elegantly integrate LCs and block copolymers (BCs), the two kinds of naturally self-assembled soft materials into one organic system [Gallot, 1996; Walther & Finkelmann, 1996]. The combination of LCs and BCs provides LCBCs with novel functionalities as well as the possibility of nanostructure formation and control at the existence of the LC ordering. Being among novel types of macromolecules of industrial and academic interest, the fascinating LCBCs have been extensively studied for their potential applications in biology, photonics, nanotemplates, and nanofabrication processes. Due to their immiscible properties, LCBCs bearing at least one mesogenic block often microphase separates into varieties of nanostructures like sphere, cylinder, and lamellae phase domains with an increase in volume ratio of the LC blocks (Fig. 7.1). LCBCs also inherit LC performances such as self-organization, long-range ordered fluidity, molecular cooperative motion, formed large birefringence, anisotropy in various physical properties (optical, electrical, and magnetic fields), and alignment change by external fields at surfaces and interfaces. These provide the designed LCBCs
with unique features different from traditional amorphous BCs, and enable them to attract much attention in macromolecular engineering.
