Self-Consistent Field Theory Predicts Universal Phase Behavior for Linear, Comb, and Bottlebrush Diblock Copolymers
Daniel L. Vigil, Timothy Quah, Dan Sun, Kris T. Delaney, Glenn H. Fredrickson
Abstract
We use self-consistent field theory (SCFT) to map phase boundaries between periodic microphases for linear, comb-like, and bottlebrush diblock copolymers with continuous Gaussian, discrete Gaussian, and freely jointed chain statistics. By using a properly defined asymmetry parameter, composed of a variety of architectural parameters including side-chain length and segment length, we obtain a universal phase diagram for sphere phases that include A15 and σ phases. We do not observe a transition from comb-like to bottlebrush scaling with architectural parameter variation, which we attribute to the mean field approximation of SCFT.
Topics & Concepts
Phase diagramGaussianScalingChain (unit)Phase (matter)Field theory (psychology)Statistical physicsCopolymerField (mathematics)Mean field theoryAsymmetryPhysicsCondensed matter physicsPolymerMathematicsMathematical physicsGeometryQuantum mechanicsPure mathematicsNuclear magnetic resonanceBlock Copolymer Self-AssemblyTheoretical and Computational PhysicsMaterial Dynamics and Properties