Ordered structures of molecular bottlebrushes

In this review 'molecular bottlebrushes' are flexible polymers densely loaded with equally flexible side chains. Interest in these structures arises from the possibility of lyotropic behaviour in dilute solution in a good solvent, as well as the possibility, of highly, ordered microphase-separated states in the melt. In addition, supramolecular chemistry has led to alternative and often much simpler ways of synthesizing complex polymer architectures. Here we will concentrate on molecular bottlebrushes obtained by hydrogen bonding between homopolymers and end-functionalized oligomers, and address their complex phase behaviour. Particular attention will be given to the possibility of lyotropic behaviour and to the role of the reversibility of the noncovalent bonding. The coupling between micro- and macrophase separation and the possibility of various Lifshitz points will also be discussed.