Ion complexation: a route to enhanced block copolymer alignment with electric fields.
We investigate the enhanced alignment of lamellar microdomains under an electric field by addition of lithium chloride (LiCl) into polystyrene-block-poly(methyl methacrylate) (PS-b-PMMA) copolymers. A significant increase of dielectric contrast resulting from the formation of lithium-PMMA complexes markedly reduces the critical electric field strength required to overcome the preferential interactions of one block with the substrate, providing a route to achieve the complete alignment of microdomains in block copolymer thin films.
Wang
Jia-Yu
JY
Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts 01003, USA.
Xu
Ting
T
Leiston-Belanger
Julie M
JM
Gupta
Suresh
S
Russell
Thomas P
TP