Abstract.
We simulate ABA triblock copolymer melts using a lattice Monte Carlo method, known as cooperative motion algorithm, probing various degrees of compositional asymmetry. Selected order-disorder transition lines are determined in terms of the segment incompatibility, quantified by product \( \chi\) N , and the triblock asymmetry parameters, \( \alpha\) and \( \beta\) . We correlate the results of the simulation with the self-consistent field theory and an experimental study of polyisoprene-polystyrene-polyisoprene triblock melt by Hamersky and coworkers. In particular, we confirm the mean-field prediction that for highly asymmetric triblocks the short A -block is localized in the middle of the B -domain due to an entropic advantage. This results in the middle block relaxation and is consistent with the experimental data indicating that as the relatively short A -blocks are grown into AB diblock, from the B -block side, the order-disorder transition temperature is considerably depressed.
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Wołoszczuk, S., Banaszak, M. Effects of compositional asymmetry in phase behavior of ABA triblock copolymer melts from Monte Carlo simulation. Eur. Phys. J. E 33, 343–350 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1140/epje/i2010-10680-5
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1140/epje/i2010-10680-5