Self-assembled structure and membrane comprising block copolymer and process for producing the same by spin coating (IVa)

A method of preparing a self-assembled structure comprising a block copolymer of the formula (I) or (II):

• wherein:
• R1 is a poly(alkyleneoxide) group of the formula, —(CHR—CH2—O)p—R′, wherein p=2-6, R is H or methyl, and R′ is H, a C1-C6 alkyl group, or a C3-C11 cycloalkyl group;
• R2 is a C6-C20 aryl group or a heteroaryl group, optionally substituted with a substituent selected from hydroxy, amino, halo, alkoxy, alkylcarbonyl, alkoxycarbonyl, amido, or nitro;
• one of R3 and R4 is a C6-C14 aryl group, optionally substituted with a substituent selected from hydroxy, halo, amino, or nitro, and the other of R3 and R4 is a C1-C22 alkoxy group, optionally substituted with a substituent selected from carboxy, amino, mercapto, alkynyl, alkenyl, halo, azido, or heterocyclyl;
• and
• n and m are independently about 10 to about 2000;
• 0<x≦n and 0<y≦m;
• the method comprising:
• (i) dissolving the block copolymer in a solvent system to obtain a polymer solution;
• (ii) spin coating the polymer solution onto a substrate;
• (iii) annealing the coating obtained in (ii) to obtain a self-assembled structure;
• and optionally
• (iv) washing the self-assembled structure obtained in (iii).