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Synthesis of Monodisperse Cylindrical Nanoparticles via Crystallization-driven Self-assembly of Biodegradable Block Copolymers
Published on: June 20, 2019
Complex microstructures of ABC triblock copolymer thin films directed by polymer brushes based on self-consistent
Zhibin Jiang1, Chang Xu1, Yu Dong Qiu1
1Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, Key Laboratory of High Performance Polymer Materials and Technology of Ministry of Education, State Key Laboratory of Coordination Chemistry, Nanjing National Laboratory of Microstructures, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, China.
Polymer brushes act as soft templates to control ABC triblock copolymer thin film morphology. This study maps phase diagrams, revealing complex ordered structures for directed pattern design.
Area of Science:
- Polymer Science
- Materials Science
- Computational Chemistry
Background:
- Block copolymer thin films exhibit diverse morphologies crucial for nanotechnology.
- Controlling these morphologies, especially in thin films, remains a significant challenge.
- Polymer brushes offer a tunable platform for templating block copolymer self-assembly.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the morphology and phase diagram of ABC triblock copolymer thin films directed by polymer brushes.
- To explore the influence of polymer brush coatings as soft templates compared to hard substrates.
- To understand how varying copolymer composition and block interactions affect thin film structures.
Main Methods:
- Three-dimensional self-consistent field theory (3D-SCFT) simulations were employed.
- Phase diagrams were constructed by systematically varying copolymer composition.
- Simulations considered fixed film thickness and brush density under different interaction parameter conditions.
Main Results:
- Complex ordered morphologies were observed, including parallel lamellar phases with surface pores (LAM3(ll)-HFs) and perpendicular lamellar phases with interface cylinders (LAM(⊥)-CI).
- Perpendicularly packed cylinders with interface rings (C2(⊥)-RI) were also identified.
- The study demonstrated that lamellar and cylindrical phases could be oriented parallel or perpendicular to surfaces by tuning composition and interactions.
Conclusions:
- Polymer brushes serve as effective soft templates for directing ABC triblock copolymer thin film morphologies.
- The phase diagram provides a valuable tool for designing directed patterns in these systems.
- This research facilitates the precise fabrication of nanostructures for advanced applications.
