Stability of ordered phases in block copolymer melts and solutions

摘要

Block copolymer melts and solutions assemble into nanosized objects that order into a variety of phases, depending on molecular parameters and mutual interactions. Beyond the classical phases of lamella ordered sheets, hexagonally ordered cylinders and cubic ordered spheres, the complex bicontinuous gyroid phase and the modulated lamellar phase are observed near the phase boundaries. The stability of these phases has been discussed on the basis of theoretical calculations. Here, we will discuss new experimental results showing that the given ordered phase depends critically on both molecular purity and mechanical treatment of the sample. While a variety of block copolymer micellar systems have been shown to undergo the liquid-to-bcc-to-fcc phase sequence upon varying micellar parameters (or temperature), we find for a purified system a different sequence, namely liquid-to-fcc-to-bcc [1]. The latter sequence is by the way the one predicted for pure block copolymer melts. External fields like shear or stress may also affect the ordered phase. Applying well-controlled large-amplitude oscillatory shear can be used to effectively control the texture of soft materials in the ordered states. As an example, we present results on a body-centred-cubic phase of a block copolymer system, showing how a given texture can be controlled with the application of specific shear rate and shear amplitude [2,3]. Shear may however also affect the thermodynamic ground state, causing shear-induced ordering and disordering (melting), and shear-induced ordera€“order transitions. We will present data showing that the gyroid state of diblock copolymer melts is unstable when exposed to large amplitude/frequency shear, transforming into the hexagonal cylinder phase [4]. The transformation is completely reversible. With the rather slow kinetics in the transformation of copolymer systems, it is possible in detail to follow the complex transformation process, where we find transient ordered structures [5].