Mixtures of block copolymers and solid particles offer a variety of benefits over pure polymer systems. In practical applications, many block copolymer matrixes have a certain degree of chain rigidity, leading to a scientific challenge for theoretical investigation. For studying mixtures of coil(A)-semiflexible(B) diblock copolymers and sphere nanoparticles(P), we thus develop the method which combines a self-consistent field theory (SCFT) based on Gaussin chain model and wormlike chain model for coil and semiflexible diblocks, respectively, and a density functional theory (DFT) for particles. In this paper, we show a variety of one- and two-dimensional morphologies by changing the rigidity of the semiflexible chain, the volume fraction of the components, the Flory-Huggins interactions between the two segments and the particles, the size of particles, and so on. In the case of preferential wetting between the particles and the coil block, i.e., the Flory–Huggins interaction parameters χABN=χBPN and χAPN=0, the center-filled lamellar phase is favored to form in larger range of coil volume fraction f=0.2~0.7. The lamellar period decreases with the increase of coil volume fraction. In the case of f=0.8 and χABN&gt;22, the center-filled hexagon cylindrical phase is obtained. The large particles can promote the phase separation of the composite system. Edge-filled lamellar phase tended to form with small particles. Last but not least, the volume fraction of particles has an important effect on the phase behaviors of the composites.

Study on phase behavior of coil-semiflexible diblock copolymers/nanoparticles composites by using self-consistent field theory

254th National Meeting (2017)

The official archive and repository for all ACS Meetings & Expositions abstracts and select posters or presentations.