Polydispersity is an intrinsic feature of all synthetic polymers. In many cases polydispersity could be beneficial to the physical properties of polymeric materials. For block copolymers, previous experimental and theoretical studies have showed that polydispersity could have significant effects on their phase behaviour. Besides shifting the phase boundaries of block copolymers, polydispersity could be used to regulate the emergence and stability of ordered phases. For the case of diblock copolymers, self-consistent field theory studies have demonstrated that polydispersity of the polymers could enlarge the stability region of the complex spherical packing phases such as the Frank-Kasper sigma phase. Furthermore, polydispersity with designed length distributions could stabilize ordered phases that are metastable for the neat block copolymers. Specifically, theoretical studies have demonstrated that polydisperse diblock copolymers in the form of binary blends of AB diblock copolymers could stabilize the Laves (C14 and C15) and the double diamond phases. In my presentation, I will summarize our recent theoretical progresses on this fascinating topic and discuss possible future research directions.

Regulating the phase behaviour of block copolymers via polydispersity

2019 Spring National Meeting

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