In this note, we study a nonlocal variational problem modeling microphase separation of diblock copolymers ([22], [3], [21]). We apply certain new tools developed in [5] to determine the principal part of the asymptotic expansion of the minimum free energy. That is, we prove a scaling law for the minimum energy and confirm that it is attained by a simple periodic lamellar structure. A previous ...

Extending the mechanical lifetime of NBR (i.e., poly(acrylonitrile-co-butadiene)), a large-volume synthetic rubber, requires better understanding its structure–property relationships. We demonstrate that industrial-grade and uncross-linked can be mechanically rejuvenated physically aged due to an inhomogeneous distribution monomers along polymer chains. As opposed nonpolar SBR counterpart poly(...

The authors present a generalized theory of microphase separation for charged-neutral diblock copolymer melt. The stability limit of the disordered phase for salt-free melt has been calculated using random phase approximation (RPA) and self-consistent-field theory (SCFT). Explicit analytical free energy expressions for different classical ordered microstructures (lamellar, cylinder, and sphere)...

Although many proteins are known to localize in bacterial cells, for the most part our understanding of how such localization takes place is limited. Recent evidence that the phospholipid cardiolipin localizes to the poles of rod-shaped bacteria suggests that targeting of some proteins may rely on the heterogeneous distribution of membrane lipids. Membrane curvature has been proposed as a facto...

Dynamic mechanical measurements were used to investigate the effect of small molecule additives on the order-todisorder transitions (ODTs) of Pluronic, poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO)−poly(propylene oxide) (PPO)−PEO triblock copolymer surfactant melts. The small molecule additives contain multiple functional groups (carboxyl or hydroxyl), which selectively interact with the PEO component of Pluronic...

The composition of low-Tg n-butylacrylate-block-(acetoxyaceto)ethyl acrylate block polymers is investigated as a strategy to tune the properties dynamically cross-linked vinylogous urethane vitrimers. As proportion cross-linkable increased, thermorheological properties, structure, and stress relaxation evolve in ways that cannot be explained by increasing cross-link density alone. Evidence pres...