Change in Interfacial Properties of the Blends of Linear Homopolymers by Adding a Gradient Copolymer with Ring Architecture

摘要

The change in interfacial properties of the blends of immiscible linear A and B homopolymers by the addition of A?B ring gradient copolymers is investigated through a selfconsistent field theory. The length of the composition gradient along copolymer chain contours is signified by a gradient number λ spanning 0 to 1. It is shown that the ternary blends with the ring copolymers are affected by screening unfavorable A/B contacts, the doubling-back of copolymer conformations, and the solubility of copolymers in homopolymer-rich phases. Upon the interplay of these effects, interfacial tension and thickness along with the surface adsorption of the copolymer chains in the blends yield mostly a monotonic dependence on λ with some peculiar λ regions, where the former two properties reveal a reverse trend. Discrepancies in such interfacial properties between the blends with the ring copolymers and with the corresponding linear copolymers are attributed again to the action of those determining effects.