MEAN FIELD AND MONTE CARLO MODELING OF MULTIBLOCK COPOLYMERS

Conference · Mon Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 2001

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1557/PROC-661-KK4.6· OSTI ID:773325

RASMUSSEN, K

The authors discuss and apply extensions needed to treat multiblock copolymers within the mean field theoretical framework for microphase separation in diblock copolymer metals, originally due to Leibler. The mean field calculations are complemented by lattice Monte Carlo realizations using the bond fluctuation model. They find that the microphase separation transition occurs at larger {sub {chi}}N as the number of blocks in increased beyond two (i.e., beyond diblock), and that the characteristic length scale of the emerging morphology decreases as the number of blocks increases. The latter prediction is in qualitative agreement with published experimental results due to Sontak and co-workers for model multiblock poly(styrene-isoprene) systems and recent results due to Hjelm and co-workers for a segmented poly(ester-urethane) relevant to Los Alamos interests. Additionally, the mean field predictions and bond fluctuation realizations yield consistent results.

• Research Organization: Los Alamos National Lab., NM (US)
• Sponsoring Organization: US Department of Energy (US)
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-36
• OSTI ID: 773325
• Report Number(s): LA-UR-01-91
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
COPOLYMERS
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
MONTE CARLO METHOD
MORPHOLOGY
PHASE STUDIES
POLYESTERS
POLYISOPRENE
POLYSTYRENE
POLYURETHANES