Phase diagram of rod-coil diblock copolymers: dissipative particle dynamics simulation

A. V. Berezkin*, Y. V. Kudryavtsev, M. A. Osipov

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

1 Citation (Scopus)

Abstract

Abstract: Using dissipative particle dynamics, a refined phase diagram of the rod-coil diblock copolymer is constructed in coordinates copolymer composition–repulsion parameter of different types of units. The diagram describes the microphase separation of copolymer blocks and the orientational ordering of rigid blocks. Simulation of rodlike blocks as rigid bodies makes it possible to reduce computational costs, increase the size of the simulation cell to 32 × 32 × 32 and the total length of the copolymer chain N to 20, to vary the composition of the copolymer chain with a smaller step (up to 0.05), and to investigate the behavior of systems with high degrees of segregation of blocks (up to χN ≈ 250). Owing to this optimization, the ordering of rigid blocks not only in the lamellar but also in bicontinuous morphology can be observed for the first time. It is also shown that the zigzag and bilayer lamellas described not only in numerical but also in laboratory experiments are metastable and disappear with an increase in the size of the simulated system.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)514-519
Number of pages6
JournalPolymer Science - Series A
Volume61
Issue number4
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 30 Jul 2019

Keywords

  • dissipative particle dynamics
  • rod-coil diblock copolymer
  • phase diagram

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