Zakład Fizyki Wysokich Ciśnień - publikacje

Abstract: We simulate ABA triblock copolymer melts using a lattice Monte Carlo method, known as cooperative motion algorithm, probing various degrees of compositional asymmetry. Selected order-disorder transition lines are determined in terms of the segment incompatibility, quantified by product ?N, and the triblock asymmetry parameters, α and β. We correlate the results of the simulation with the selfconsistent field theory and an experimental study of polyisoprene-polystyrene-polyisoprene triblock melt by Hamersky and coworkers. In particular, we confirm the mean-field prediction that for highly asymmetric triblocks the short A-block is localized in the middle of the B-domain due to an entropic advantage. This results in the middle block relaxation and is consistent with the experimental data indicating that as the relatively short A-blocks are grown into AB diblock, from the B-block side, the order-disorder transition temperature is considerably depressed. © 2010 The Author(s).