Spectroscopic investigation on chirality transfer in additive-driven self-assembly of block polymers

Chiral supramolecules prepared by the additive-driven self-assembly of block copolymers provide a facile method to construct helical nanostructures. In this study, we investigated the chiral transfer from chiral tartaric acid to poly(styrene)-b-poly(ethylene oxide) using small-angle X-ray scattering, transmission electron microscopy, circular dichroism, and vibrational circular dichroism. The results showed that the chirality was transferred to both the segments of block copolymer irrespective of the interaction with the chiral additives and formation of helical phase structure. However, the chirality transfer was carried out using different methods: for poly(ethylene oxide) segments, the chirality transfer was carried out via direct hydrogen bond formation; for polystyrene segments, the chirality transfer was carried out via the cooperative motion of block copolymers during the thermal annealing.