A polystyrene-b-poly(methylmethacrylate) (PS-b-PMMA) modified with a fluorine-containing functional group at its chemical junction was designed to study the effect of on microphase separation behavior. Various molecular weights and unmodified PS-b-PMMA were synthesized, effective χ parameter for them estimated by small-angle X-ray scattering. The clearly observed in measured parameters block co...

We consider a bistable reaction-diffusion system arising in the theory of phase transitions; it appears in several physical contexts such as thin magnetic films and the microphase separation in diblock copolymer melts. Mathematically it takes the form of an Allen-Cahn equation coupled to an elliptic equation. This system possesses a Lyapunov functional which represents the Gibbs free energy of ...

A binary lattice gas model that allows for multiple occupancy of lattice sites, inspired by recent coarse-grained descriptions of solutions of interacting polymers, is investigated by combining the steepest descent approximation with an exploration of the multidimensional energy landscape and by Gibbs ensemble Monte Carlo simulations. The one-component version of the model, involving on site an...

We investigate the behaviour of randomly cross-linked (co)polymer blends using a combination of replica theory and large-scale molecular dynamics simulations. In particular, we derive the analogue of the random phase approximation for systems with quenched disorder and show how the required correlation functions can be calculated efficiently. By post-processing simulation data for homopolymer n...

Recent developments in small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) investigations on polymer gels are reviewed by encompassing (i) volume phase transition and microphase separation, (ii) inhomogeneities in polymer gels, (iii) pressure dependence of hydrophobic interaction and (iv) structural characterization of super-tough gels. These developments owe much to the understanding of gel inhomogeneities ...

A single multiblock copolymer chain in poor solvent undergoes microphase separation within its own globule, driven by the same kind of forces operating in the bulk system. However, the necessity of packing a large AB interface into a small volume leads to novel convoluted geometries. Long block lengths form a double droplet. Very short block lengths exhibit bulk behavior, forming a lamellar glo...

Thermoresponsive polymer segments have been reported to induce lateral microphase separations due their switching transitions from a hydrophilic state hydrophobic one in hydrogels, which result shrinkage and collapse of the networks significantly improved mechanical strength. However, route are assembled into micelles during separations, thermoresponsive toughening mechanisms not fully understo...