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Theory of microphase separation in charged crosslinked polymer blends with arbitrary charge distribution
A Boussaid1, M Benhamou, A El Fazni
1Laboratoire de Recherches sur les Macromolecules, Faculté des Sciences, Tlemcen, Algeria.
The European Physical Journal. E, Soft Matter
|December 4, 2009
Summary
Charged polymer blends exhibit microphase separation below a critical temperature. This study extends de Gennes theory to include composition fluctuations and excluded-volume interactions, analyzing charge effects on phase behavior and kinetics.
Area of Science:
- Polymer science
- Solution thermodynamics
- Soft matter physics
Background:
- Charged crosslinked polymer blends in solution can undergo microphase separation.
- Understanding phase transitions is crucial for material properties.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the phase behavior and scattering properties of charged crosslinked polymer blends.
- To extend de Gennes theory for improved agreement with experimental data.
- To analyze the impact of charge distribution and salt concentration on phase behavior.
Main Methods:
- Application of de Gennes theory with analogy to dielectric media.
- Inclusion of initial composition fluctuations.
- Incorporation of excluded-volume interactions via the blob model.
Main Results:
- The study examines phase behavior for arbitrary charge distributions and salt concentrations.
- Charge effects on phase transitions and early kinetics of microphase separation are evaluated.
- The model shows improved agreement with experimental data in the small wave vector range.
Conclusions:
- The extended de Gennes theory provides a comprehensive framework for understanding charged polymer blend phase behavior.
- Charge effects significantly influence phase transitions and separation kinetics.
- This work advances the understanding of complex polymer systems in solution.
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