Figure 1. Block copolymer synthesis and characterization.

(a) Synthetic approach to PAA-b-PIL through ATRP using PtBA-Br as the macroinitiator. (b) GPC elution of PtBA₄₅-b-PIL₂₃ in THF containing 10 mM LiTf₂N and 10 mM 1-butylimidazole. (c) Plot of ln([M]₀/[M]) versus time. (d) Plot of M_n and M_w/M_n versus conversion. M_n was accessed by NMR (pink stars). M_w was obtained from GPC analysis using linear polystyrene (black squares) and polyVBBI⁺Tf₂N⁻_RAFT standards (blue circles). Samples were taken at different times from the polymerization. (e,f) GPC traces of polyVBBI⁺Tf₂N⁻ (in THF containing 10 mM LiTf₂N and 10 mM 1-butylimidazole) calibrated using linear polystyrene standards. Conditions: [VBBI⁺Tf₂N⁻]₀/[PtBA-Br (M_n=5950)]₀/[CuBr]₀/[CuBr₂]₀/[PMDETA]₀=70/1/1.9/0.1/2, VBBI⁺Tf₂N⁻/butyronitrile=1/1 (w/w), 90 °C.