Microphase separation of rod-coil diblock copolymer in solution.
Lattice theory of rigid rods is extended to describe the microphase separation behavior of a rod-coil diblock copolymer in solution. The free energy was formulated by inclusion of the energy terms arising from the core-corona interface between the rods and coils and the corona formed by the coils into the lattice model of rigid rods. The rod-coil diblock copolymer exhibits lyotropic mesophases with lamellar, cylindrical, and spherical structures when the copolymer concentration is above a critical value. The tendency of the rodlike blocks to form orientational order plays an important role in the formation of lyotropic phases. Influences of polymer-solvent interaction, surface free energy, and molecular architectures of the rod-coil diblock copolymer on the phase behaviors were studied, and phase diagrams were mapped accordingly. The theoretical results were compared with some existing experimental observations and a good agreement is shown.
Lin
Jiaping
J
Key Laboratory for Ultrafine Materials of Ministry of Education, School of Materials Science and Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai, China. jplinlab@online.sh.cn
Lin
Shaoliang
S
Zhang
Liangshun
L
Nose
Takuhei
T