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Electric field induced selective disordering in lamellar block copolymers
Markus Ruppel1, Christian W Pester, Karol M Langner
1Chemical Sciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831, United States.
Electric fields align block copolymers via selective disordering, a new mechanism near the order-disorder transition. This method improves nanostructure alignment and reduces defects in block copolymer materials.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Polymer Science
- Soft Matter Physics
Background:
- External electric fields are known to align nanostructured block copolymers through grain rotation or nucleation and growth.
- These alignment mechanisms depend on the segregation strength of distinct block copolymer components.
- Theoretical and simulation studies predicted a third alignment mechanism, selective disordering, near the order-disorder transition.
Purpose of the Study:
- To experimentally investigate the proposed selective disordering mechanism of block copolymer alignment under electric fields.
- To demonstrate the effect of electric fields on nanostructure orientation in lyotropic block copolymer solutions.
- To explore the utility of electric field-assisted annealing for defect reduction in block copolymer mesophases.
Main Methods:
- Utilizing time-resolved small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) to observe dynamic structural changes.
- Applying external electric fields to lyotropic block copolymer solutions.
- Analyzing scattering patterns to determine the orientation and integrity of block copolymer nanostructures.
Main Results:
- Demonstrated that electric fields can selectively disintegrate lamellae with unfavorable orientations.
- Observed the prevalence of lamellae with interfaces parallel to the applied electric field.
- Confirmed selective disordering as an experimentally validated mechanism for block copolymer alignment.
- Showcased the effectiveness of electric field-assisted annealing in reducing orientational disorder and topological defects.
Conclusions:
- Introduced selective disordering as a novel, experimentally verified mechanism for electric field-induced alignment in nanostructured block copolymers.
- Established electric field-assisted annealing as a valuable technique for enhancing the quality of block copolymer mesophases.
- Expanded the understanding of external field manipulation of soft matter nanostructures.
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