Density Functional Theory for Block Copolymer Melts and Blends

Abstract

We derive an expression for the free energy of the blends of block copolymers expressed as a functional of the density distribution of the monomer of each block. The expression is a generalization of the Flory-Huggins-de Gennes theory for homo polymer blends, and also a generalization of the Ohta-Kawasaki theory for the melts of diblock copolymers. The expression can be used for any blends of homopolymers and block copolymers of any topological structure. The expression gives a fast and stable computational method to calculate the micro and macro phase separation of the blends of homopolymers and block copolymers.

25 pages, 9 figures, will appear in Macromolecules

Cited by in corpus (5)

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• A globally convergent modified Newton method for the direct minimization of the Ohta-Kawasaki energy with application to the directed self-assembly of diblock copolymers
• Coarse-Grained Simulation Model for Crystalline Polymer Solids by using Breakable Bonds