Morphology of evaporated multiblock co-polymer membranes studied by molecular dynamics simulations.

Journal Article · Sun May 01 00:00:00 EDT 2005 · Proposed for publication in Macromolecules.

OSTI ID:972150

Tsige, Mesfin; Grest, Gary Stephen; Mattsson, Thomas Kjell Rene

We present extensive simulations modeling the casting of multiblock polymer films by evaporation. The domain structure of the resulting film is strongly affected by varying the relative stiffness of the coblocks. The morphology changes from a bicontinuous lamellar phase when both blocks are flexible to a small-scale phase-separated phase with isolated domains as the stiffness of one of the blocks increases. As the relative stiffness of the blocks changes, the rate of evaporation, interfacial width, and morphology of the system changes. The findings can be used to tailor membrane morphology of interest to fuel-cell applications where the morphology is important for proton conduction.

• Research Organization: Sandia National Laboratories
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• DOE Contract Number: AC04-94AL85000
• OSTI ID: 972150
• Report Number(s): SAND2005-3431J
• Journal Information: Proposed for publication in Macromolecules., Journal Name: Proposed for publication in Macromolecules.
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
CASTING
DOMAIN STRUCTURE
EVAPORATION
FLEXIBILITY
MEMBRANES
MORPHOLOGY
POLYMERS
PROTONS
SIMULATION