Order-Disorder Transitions in Cross-Linked Block Copolymer Solids
With a view toward creating solid block copolymers wherein the order-disorder transition can be accessed many times they investigated the nature of order-disorder transitions in cross-linked diblock copolymer melts using synergistic theory and experiment. A mean-field theory based on a coarse grained free-energy and the Random Phase Approximation (RPA) is developed for the system of interest. The quenched distribution of cross-links is averaged using the replica method. The phase behavior of a particular A-B block copolymer melt with a randomly cross-linked B-Block is determined as a function of the Florry-Huggins interaction parameter ({chi}) and the average number of cross-links per chain N{sub c}. They find for a cross-link density greater than N*{sub c} the B monomers are localized within a region of size {zeta} {approx} (N{sub c} - N*{sub c}){sup -1/2}. The cross-links strongly oppose ordering in the system as {zeta} becomes comparable to the radius of gyration of the block copolymer chain. As such the order-disorder transition temperature T{sub ODT} decreases precipitously when N{sub c} > N*{sub c}. When N{sub c} < N*{sub c}, T{sub ODT} increases weakly with N{sub c}. Experiments were conducted on cross-linked polystyrene-block-polyisoprene copolymer samples wherein the polyisoprene block was selectively cross-linked at a temperature well above the order-disorder transition temperature of the pure block copolymer. Small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) and birefringence measurements on the cross-linked samples are consistent with the theoretical prediction. T{sub ODT} decreases rapidly when the cross-linking density exceeds the critical cross-linking density.
- Research Organization:
- SLAC National Accelerator Lab., Menlo Park, CA (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE Office of Science (SC)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC02-76SF00515
- OSTI ID:
- 839650
- Report Number(s):
- SLAC-PUB-10972; TRN: US200516%%343
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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