Polymer Mechanics Sub-department - Kyoto University Faculty of Engineering Department of Polymer Chemistry -

Manipulation of Polymers by Self-Assembling Processes

Our Research works are:
1.	Structure and mechanical properties of polymers, mechanics of molecular assembly.

2.	Self-organization of supermolecular structures of polymers via phase transitions (macrophase transition, microphase transition, sol-gel transition, crystallization and melting, liquid-crystal phase transitions).

3.	Mesoscopic structures and properties of polymer blends, block copolymers and liquid crystals.

4.	Characterization of supermolecular structures and their deformation and relaxation behavior by microscopies (electron and optical microscopies) and by scattering techniques (small-angle neutron and X-ray scattering and light scattering).

Faculty	:	Associate Professor: Hirokazu Hasegawa / Assistant Professor: Mikihito Takenaka / Teaching Instructor: Kenji Saijo

Address	:	Room 012, Bldg. A3, Katsura Campus Department of Polymer Chemistry Graduate School of Engineering Kyoto University, Katsura Nishikyo-ku, Kyoto 615-8510, Japan TEL +81-75-383-2621 / FAX +81-75-383-2623

( Index )
	Nano-fabrication and Super-Tailoring of Block Copolymers

	Structure Analysis of Block Copolymers Consisting of More Than Three Components

Nano-fabrication and Super-Tailoring of Block Copolymers

Development of the techniques to control and produce hierarchic structures from nano- to bulk-scale of block copolymer-based nano-periodic materials depending on the uses such as nano-porous materials, single crystals and oriented thin films and so on. In addition, creation of advanced functional materials by introducing metal, semi-conducting and dielectric nano-particles and nano-films, and fullerenes and carbon nano-tubes into these structures.

image: Computer graphics of the ordered structure composed of Gyroid double networks and its cross-section.SEM image of 3D nano-channels

Figure 1
Computer graphics of the ordered structure composed of Gyroid double networks (left; the networks are transparent and the matrix is opaque) and its (211) cross-section (center; the networks are transparent and the matrix is opaque). SEM image of 3D nano-channels created by selective ozonolysis of the PI phase in PS-b-PI block copolymer.

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Structure Analysis of Block Copolymers Consisting of More Than Three Components

Structures of block copolymers consisting of more than three components are extremely complex and beyond one's imagination. Such novel structures may be useful as the bases of nano-technology. Our research group endeavor to discover and analyze such structures as well as to develop the techniques to evaluate and measure the nano-structures.

image: The transmission electron micrographs and the corresponding models of the ordered structure in polystyrene-b-polyisoprene-b-poly(1,4-dimethyl siloxane)-b-poly(2-vinyl pyridine).

Figure 2
The transmission electron micrographs and the corresponding models of the ordered structure in polystyrene-b-polyisoprene-b-poly(1,4-dimethyl siloxane)-b-poly(2-vinyl pyridine). We distinguished four phases by various staining techniques and clarified the structure.

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