(410j) Interplay of Phase Behavior and Transport Properties in End-Charged Telechelic Polymer Blends

Tethering hydrophobic and hydrophilic units to polymer end-groups can significantly alter the miscibility and phase behavior of polymer blends, thus markedly influencing system properties. These types of systems, namely telechelic polymer blends, exhibit ordered morphologies. Due to the noncovalent bonds between different end-groups of telechelic polymers, they can form pseudo bock-copolymers with self-healing capabilities and enhanced mechanical properties. The syntheses and properties of telechelic polymers, primarily interacting via hydrogen bonding, have been explored in-depth over the past few decades. However, a systematic theoretical study focusing on the phase behavior and mechanical/dynamic properties of end-charged telechelic blends is still lacking in the literature. In this work, we perform coarse-grained molecular dynamics simulations to investigate the lamellar phase behavior of end-charged telechelic polymer blends. Specifically, we show how salt doping can induce an order-disorder transition (ODT) and be utilized to control the domain spacing within a supramolecular ordered morphology. Moreover, we assess the mechanical response and its relation to the phase behavior. This is of particular interest as the dynamic noncovalent bond improves the self-healing properties. Lastly, we examine the combined effect of temperature and salt concentration on the ion transport properties and phase behavior, thereby exploring the potential of these materials for temperature-sensing applications.