{'fraction_non_alphanumeric': 0.025384615384615384, 'fraction_numerical': 0.002307692307692308, 'mean_word_length': 6.109289617486339, 'pattern_counts': {'":': 0, '<': 0, '<?xml version=': 0, '>': 0, 'https://': 0, 'lorem ipsum': 0, 'www.': 0, 'xml': 0}, 'pii_count': 0, 'substrings_counts': 0, 'word_list_counts': {'cursed_substrings.json': 0, 'profanity_word_list.json': 0, 'sexual_word_list.json': 0, 'zh_pornsignals.json': 0}}
Molecular Architecture Directs Linear-Bottlebrush-Linear Triblock Copolymers to Self-Assemble to Soft Reprocessable Elastomers.

Linear-bottlebrush-linear (LBBL) triblock copolymers represent an emerging system for creating multifunctional nanostructures. Their self-assembly depends on molecular architecture but remains poorly explored. We synthesize polystyrene-block-bottlebrush polydimethylsiloxane-block-polystyrene triblock copolymers with controlled molecular architecture and use them as a model system to study the self-assembly of LBBL polymers. Unlike classical stiff rod-flexible linear block copolymers that are prone to form highly ordered nanostructures such as lamellae, at small weight fractions of the linear blocks, LBBL polymers self-assemble to a disordered sphere phase, regardless of the bottlebrush stiffness. Microscopically, characteristic lengths increase with the bottlebrush stiffness by a power of 2/3, which is captured by a scaling analysis. Macroscopically, the formed nanostructures are ultrasoft, reprocessable elastomers with shear moduli of about 1 kPa, two orders of magnitude lower than that of conventional polydimethylsiloxane elastomers. Our results provide insights on exploiting the self-assembly of LBBL polymers to create soft functional nanostructures.