Synthesis and characterization of a block copolymer containing regioregular poly(3-hexylthiophene) and poly(γ-benzyl-L-glutamate).

Poly(3-hexylthiophene)-b-poly(γ-benzyl-L-glutamate) (P3HT-b-PBLG) rod-rod diblock copolymer was synthesized by a ring-opening polymerization of γ-benzyl-L-glutamate-N-carboxyanhydride using a benzylamine-terminated regioregular P3HT macroinitiator. The opto-electronic properties of the diblock copolymer have been investigated. The P3HT precursor and the P3HT-b-PBLG have similar UV-Vis spectra both in solution and solid state, indicating that the presence of PBLG block does not decrease the effective conjugation length of the semiconducting polythiophene segment. The copolymer displays solvatochromic behavior in THF/water mixtures. The morphology of the diblock copolymer depends upon the solvent used for film casting and annealing results in morphological changes for both films deposited from chloroform and trichlorobenzene.