title: Communication: Molecular-level insights into asymmetric triblock copolymers: network and phase development.
abstract: Molecularly asymmetric triblock copolymers progressively grown from a parent diblock copolymer can be used to elucidate the phase and property transformation from diblock to network-forming triblock copolymer. In this study, we use several theoretical formalisms and simulation methods to examine the molecular-level characteristics accompanying this transformation, and show that reported macroscopic-level transitions correspond to the onset of an equilibrium network. Midblock conformational fractions and copolymer morphologies are provided as functions of copolymer composition and temperature.
authors.affiliation: Department of Materials Science and Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina 27695, USA.
authors.forename: Syamal S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Tallury
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina 27695, USA.
authors.forename: Kenneth P
authors.initials: KP
authors.lastname: Mineart
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Physics, Adam Mickiewicz University, 61-614 Poznan, Poland.
authors.forename: Sebastian
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Woloszczuk
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina 27695, USA.
authors.forename: David N
authors.initials: DN
authors.lastname: Williams
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics and Astronomy and Waterloo Institute for Nanotechnology, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3G1, Canada.
authors.forename: Russell B
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Thompson
authors.affiliation: Fiber and Polymer Science Program, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina 27695, USA.
authors.forename: Melissa A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Pasquinelli
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Physics, Adam Mickiewicz University, 61-614 Poznan, Poland.
authors.forename: Michal
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Banaszak
authors.affiliation: Department of Materials Science and Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina 27695, USA.
authors.forename: Richard J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Spontak