Recent advances on the structure–properties relationship of multiblock copolymers

Abstract

Multiblock copolymers represent a fascinating class of materials that sits at the very heart of industrial applications and fundamental polymer science. They are most often made of a linear succession of incompatible “soft” and “hard” segments that microphase separate at room temperature while they can be easily re‐homogenized upon heating. This thermoreversible character provides them with decisive advantages with respect to other rubber‐based materials such as vulcanized elastomers, making them indispensable for the development of a more sustainable polymer industry. Beyond practical opportunities, tailoring the multiblock copolymers morphology has a pivotal role to play in the fundamental understanding of the structure–properties relationship of polymer‐based systems. It notably serves to comprehend complex materials such as semicrystalline homopolymers and nanocomposites. Aside from the thorough work developed on well‐defined diblock copolymers for half a century, this article review aims to guide the reader into the more intricate world of multiblock copolymers by providing him/her quantitative tools to connect chemical nature, microstructure and mechanical properties.