Synthesis and molecular characterization of polythiophene and polystyrene copolymers: Simultaneous preparation of diblock and miktoarm copolymers

During the synthesis of polystyrene-b-polythiophene diblock copolymers (PS-b-PT) via combination of anionic polymerization (PS block) and polymerization of thiophene with iron trichloride (PT block), the simultaneous preparation of another product is observed and verified as a miktoarm star copolymer of the (PS)2PT type. This parallel synthesis is initially detected through size exclusion chromatography studies and then, after the complete separation of the two different products, it is certified by 13C NMR spectroscopy. IR and UV–Vis spectra of the two different products also display characteristic peaks for the PT chains, leading to proof of its presence in both cases. Furthermore, the products are studied thermally by thermogravimetric analysis and their morphology is preliminarily investigated by scanning electron microscopy.