Microphase Separation in Neutral Homopolymer Blends Induced by Salt-Doping

Microphase separation in polymeric systems provides a bottom-up strategy to fabricate nanostructures. Polymers that are reported undergo microphase usually include block copolymers or polyelectrolytes. Neutral homopolymers, which comparatively easy synthesize, thought be incapable of separation. Here, using minimal model accounts for ion solvation, we show is possible neutral homopolymer blends with sufficient dielectric contrast, upon tiny amount salt-doping. The driving force the competition between selective places smaller ions domains higher constant, and propensity local charge neutrality decrease electrostatic energy. compromise an emergent length over occurs selectively solvated. factors affecting such competitions explored, including solvation radii, polymer fraction, point directions observing this behavior experimentally. These findings suggest low-cost facile alternative produce separation, may exploited advanced material design preparation.