Reaction-induced microphase separation in polybenzoxazine thermosets containing poly(N-vinyl pyrrolidone)-block-polystyrene diblock copolymer

Poly(N-vinyl pyrrolidone)-block-polystyrene diblock copolymer (PVPy-b-PS) was synthesized via sequential reversible radical-fragmentation transfer polymerization with S-1-phenylethyl O-ethylxanthate as a chain transfer agent. The block copolymer was incorporated into polybenzoxazine to access the nanostructures in the thermosets. The nanostructures in the thermosets were investigated by means of transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS). It was found that disordered and/or ordered PS nanophases were formed in the PBa thermosets. It is judged that the formation of nanophases followed the mechanism of reaction-induced microphase separation in terms of the miscibility of the subchains of the diblock copolymer (viz. PVPy and PS) with polybenzoxazine after and before curing reaction.