Extreme Deflection of Phase Boundaries and Chain Bridging in A(BA′)n Miktoarm Star Polymers

• DOI: 10.1021/acs.macromol.9b02254
• Publication Date: 2020-01-08T13:56:07Z
• Authors: Joshua Lequieu; Trenton Koeper; Kris T. Delaney; Glenn H. Fredrickson
• Keywords: Thermoplastic elastomer; Star polymer

In this study, we use self-consistent field theory to demonstrate that the A(BA′)n miktoarm architecture can strongly deflect order–order phase boundaries large volume fractions fA. The achieves strong deflection by combining effects of frustration and block bidispersity is shown stabilize discrete spheres cylinders A up values fA = 0.58 0.78, respectively. We next analyze prevalence chain bridging νB in both neat melts homopolymer blends form fluctuation-stabilized "bricks mortar" phase. These calculations high be simultaneously achieved with highly asymmetric stars, a property especially useful for design tough thermoplastic elastomers. Finally, show these miktoarms exhibit windows space where σ A15 Frank–Kasper phases are stable.