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Title: Rapid Ordering in “Wet Brush” Block Copolymer/Homopolymer Ternary Blends

Abstract

The ubiquitous presence of thermodynamically unfavored but kinetically trapped topological defects in nanopatterns formed via self-assembly of block copolymer thin films may prevent their use for many envisioned applications. Here, we demonstrate that lamellae patterns formed by symmetric polystyrene-block-poly(methyl methacrylate) diblock copolymers self-assemble and order extremely rapidly when the diblock copolymers are blended with low molecular weight homopolymers of the constituent blocks. Being in the “wet brush” regime, the homopolymers uniformly distribute within their respective self-assembled microdomains, preventing increases in domain widths. An order-of-magnitude increase in topological grain size in blends over the neat (unblended) diblock copolymer is achieved within minutes of thermal annealing as a result of the significantly higher power law exponent for ordering kinetics in the blends. Moreover, the blends are demonstrated to be capable of rapid and robust domain alignment within micrometer-scale trenches, in contrast to the corresponding neat diblock copolymer. Furthermore, these results can be attributed to the lowering of energy barriers associated with domain boundaries by bringing the system closer to an order–disorder transition through low molecular weight homopolymer blending.

Authors:
ORCiD logo [1]; ORCiD logo [1]
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  1. Brookhaven National Lab. (BNL), Upton, NY (United States)
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Brookhaven National Lab. (BNL), Upton, NY (United States). Center for Functional Nanomaterials (CFN)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES)
OSTI Identifier:
1413958
Report Number(s):
BNL-114813-2017-JA
Journal ID: ISSN 1936-0851; KC0403020; TRN: US1800606
Grant/Contract Number:  
SC0012704
Resource Type:
Accepted Manuscript
Journal Name:
ACS Nano
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 11; Journal Issue: 12; Journal ID: ISSN 1936-0851
Publisher:
American Chemical Society (ACS)
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
77 NANOSCIENCE AND NANOTECHNOLOGY; block copolymer; directed self-assembly; homopolymer; coarsening kinetics; ternary blends; Center for Functional Nanomaterials; pattern transfer

Citation Formats

Doerk, Gregory S., and Yager, Kevin G. Rapid Ordering in “Wet Brush” Block Copolymer/Homopolymer Ternary Blends. United States: N. p., 2017. Web. doi:10.1021/acsnano.7b06154.
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Doerk, Gregory S., & Yager, Kevin G. Rapid Ordering in “Wet Brush” Block Copolymer/Homopolymer Ternary Blends. United States. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsnano.7b06154
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Doerk, Gregory S., and Yager, Kevin G. Fri . "Rapid Ordering in “Wet Brush” Block Copolymer/Homopolymer Ternary Blends". United States. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsnano.7b06154. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1413958.
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@article{osti_1413958,
title = {Rapid Ordering in “Wet Brush” Block Copolymer/Homopolymer Ternary Blends},
author = {Doerk, Gregory S. and Yager, Kevin G.},
abstractNote = {The ubiquitous presence of thermodynamically unfavored but kinetically trapped topological defects in nanopatterns formed via self-assembly of block copolymer thin films may prevent their use for many envisioned applications. Here, we demonstrate that lamellae patterns formed by symmetric polystyrene-block-poly(methyl methacrylate) diblock copolymers self-assemble and order extremely rapidly when the diblock copolymers are blended with low molecular weight homopolymers of the constituent blocks. Being in the “wet brush” regime, the homopolymers uniformly distribute within their respective self-assembled microdomains, preventing increases in domain widths. An order-of-magnitude increase in topological grain size in blends over the neat (unblended) diblock copolymer is achieved within minutes of thermal annealing as a result of the significantly higher power law exponent for ordering kinetics in the blends. Moreover, the blends are demonstrated to be capable of rapid and robust domain alignment within micrometer-scale trenches, in contrast to the corresponding neat diblock copolymer. Furthermore, these results can be attributed to the lowering of energy barriers associated with domain boundaries by bringing the system closer to an order–disorder transition through low molecular weight homopolymer blending.},
doi = {10.1021/acsnano.7b06154},
journal = {ACS Nano},
number = 12,
volume = 11,
place = {United States},
year = {2017},
month = {12}
}
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https://doi.org/10.1021/acsnano.7b06154
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