Abstract.
Thin films of long and short symmetric AB diblock copolymers are examined using self-consistent field theory (SCFT). We focus on hard confining walls with a preference for the A component, such that the lamellar domains orient parallel to the film with an even number \( \nu\) of monolayers. For neat melts, confinement causes the lamellar period, D , to deviate from its bulk value, Db, in order to be commensurate with the film thickness, i.e., \( L=\nu D/2\). For blends, however, the melt also has the option of macrophase separating into \( \nu^{(\ell)}\) large and \( \nu^{(s)}\) small monolayers so as to provide a better fit, where \( L = \nu^{(\ell)} D^{(\ell)}/2 + \nu^{(s)}D^{(s)}/2\). In addition to performing full SCFT calculations of the entire film, we develop a semi-analytical calculation for the coexistence of thick and thin monolayers that helps explain the complicated interplay between miscibility and commensurability.
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Spencer, R., Matsen, M. Confinement effects on the miscibility of block copolymer blends. Eur. Phys. J. E 39, 43 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1140/epje/i2016-16043-4
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1140/epje/i2016-16043-4