Formation of Multicontinuous Structures in Block Copolymer Melts

Abstract

Using a new lattice polymer simulation method for block copolymers, we have studied a dense polymer system composed of monodisperse linear A-B-C triblock copolymers. We confirm that a tricontinuous structure for linear A-B-C block copolymers observed by Mogi et al. (Macromolecule 25, 5408 (1992) and ibid. 25, 5412 (1992)) could be, indeed, an ordered tricontinuous "double-diamond" (OTDD) structure. In addition, two (symmetric and shifted) OTDD phases and a lamellar phase have been observed in the same simulations. The two OTDD phases are conceivable by shifting one diamond network against the other diamond network.

Keywords

Block copolymer, microphase separation, double-diamond, computer simulation