Please wait a minute...
Chin. Phys. B, 2015, Vol. 24(4): 046402    DOI: 10.1088/1674-1056/24/4/046402
CONDENSED MATTER: STRUCTURAL, MECHANICAL, AND THERMAL PROPERTIES Prev   Next  

Self-assembly of lamella-forming diblock copolymers confined in nanochannels: Effect of confinement geometry

Yu Bin (于彬)a, Deng Jian-Hua (邓建华)a, Wang Zheng (王铮)b, Li Bao-Hui (李宝会)b, Shi An-Chang (史安昌)c
a Department of Physics and Materials Science, Tianjin Normal University, Tianjin 300387, China;
b School of Physics, Key Laboratory of Functional Polymer Materials, Ministry of Education, Nankai University, and Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemical Science and Engineering (Tianjin), Tianjin 300071, China;
c Department of Physics and Astronomy, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario L8S 4M1, Canada
Abstract  

The self-assembly of symmetric diblock copolymers confined in the channels of variously shaped cross sections (regular triangles, squares, and ellipses) is investigated using a simulated annealing technique. In the bulk, the studied symmetric diblock copolymers form a lamellar structure with period LL. The geometry and surface property of the confining channels have a large effect on the self-assembled structures and the orientation of the lamellar structures. Stacked perpendicular lamellae with period LL are observed for neutral surfaces regardless of the channel shape and size, but each lamella is in the shape of the corresponding channel's cross section. In the case of triangle-shaped cross sections, stacked parallel lamellae are the majority morphologies for weakly selective surfaces, while morphologies including a triangular-prism-shaped B-cylinder and multiple tridentate lamellae are obtained for strongly selective surfaces. In the cases of square-shaped and ellipse-shaped cross sections, concentric lamellae are the signature morphology for strongly selective surfaces, whereas for weakly selective surfaces, stacked parallel lamellae, and several types of folding lamellae are obtained in the case of square-shaped cross sections, and stacked parallel lamellae are the majority morphologies in the case of ellipse-shaped cross sections when the length of the minor axis is commensurate with the bulk lamellar period. The mean-square end-to-end distance, the average contact number between different species and the surface concentration of the A-monomers are computed to elucidate the mechanisms of the formation of the different morphologies. It is found that the resulting morphology is a consequence of competition among the chain stretching, interfacial energy, and surface energy. Our results suggest that the self-assembled morphology and the orientation of lamellae can be manipulated by the shape, the size, and the surface property of the confining channels.

Keywords:  diblock copolymers      self-assembly      confinement geometry      phase behavior  
Received:  29 September 2014      Revised:  20 November 2014      Accepted manuscript online: 
PACS:  64.75.Jk (Phase separation and segregation in nanoscale systems)  
  64.75.Yz (Self-assembly)  
  83.80.Uv (Block copolymers)  
  83.80.Sg (Polymer melts)  
Fund: 

Project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 11204215, 51302187, 20990234, 20925414, 21204040, and 91227121), the Natural Science Foundation of Tianjin City, China (Grant Nos. 12JCYBJC32500 and 14JCZDJC32100), the Program for Changjiang Scholars and Innovative Research Team in University (PCSIRT) (Grant No. IRT1257), and the 111 Project. A. C. Shi gratefully acknowledges the supports from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) of Canada.

Corresponding Authors:  Yu Bin, Li Bao-Hui     E-mail:  stevenyubin@163.com;baohui@nankai.edu.cn

Cite this article: 

Yu Bin (于彬), Deng Jian-Hua (邓建华), Wang Zheng (王铮), Li Bao-Hui (李宝会), Shi An-Chang (史安昌) Self-assembly of lamella-forming diblock copolymers confined in nanochannels: Effect of confinement geometry 2015 Chin. Phys. B 24 046402

[1] Cheolmin P, Yoon. J and Thomas E L 2003 Polymer 44 6725
[2] Park M, Harrison C, Chaikin P M, Register R A and Adamson D H 1997 Science 276 1401
[3] Shin K, Leach K A, Goldbach J T, Kim D H, Jho J Y, Tuominen M, Hawker C J and Russell T P 2002 Nano Lett. 2 933
[4] Urbas A M, Thomas E L, Kriegs H, Fytas G, Penciu R S and Economou L N 2003 Phys. Rev. Lett. 90 108302
[5] Khandpur A K, Forster S, Bates F S, Hamley I W, Ryan A J, Bras W, Almdal K and Mortensen K 1995 Macromolecules 28 8796
[6] Matsen M W and Bates F S 1996 Macromolecules 29 1091
[7] Laradji M, Shi A C, Noolandi J and Desai R C 1997 Macromolecules 30 3242
[8] Matsen M W 1997 J. Chem. Phys. 106 7781
[9] Huang E, Russell T P, Harrison C, Chaikin P M, Register R A, Hawker C J and Mays J 1998 Macromolecules 31 7641
[10] Wang Q, Yan Q L, Nealey P F and de Pablo J J 2000 J. Chem. Phys. 112 450
[11] Binder K and Muller M 2000 Curr. Opin. Colloid Interface Sci. 5 315
[12] Fasolka M J and Mayes A M 2001 Ann. Rev. Mater. Sci. 31 323
[13] Park C, Yoon J and Thomas E L 2003 Polymer 44 6725
[14] Yin Y H, Sun P C, Chen T H, Li B H, Jin Q H, Ding D T and Shi A C 2004 Chemphyschem 5 540
[15] Lambooy P, Russell T P, Kellogg G J, Mayes A M, Gallagher P D and Satija S K 1994 Phys. Rev. Lett. 72 2899
[16] Pan J X, Zhang J J, Wang B F, Wu H S and Sun M N 2013 Chin. Phys. B 22 026401
[17] Xiang H Q, Shin K, Kim T, Moon S I, McCarthy T J and Russell T P 2005 Macromolecules 38 1055
[18] Shin K, Xiang H Q, Moon S I, Kim T, McCarthy T J and Russell T P 2004 Science 306 76
[19] Xiang H Q, Shin K, Kim T, Moon S I, McCarthy T J and Russell T P 2004 Macromolecules 37 5660
[20] Xiang H Q, Shin K, Kim T, Moon S I, McCarthy T J and Russell T P 2005 J. Polym. Sci. Part B: Polym. Phys. 43 3377
[21] Dobriyal P, Xiang H Q, Kazuyuki M, Chen J T, Jinnai H and Russell T P 2009 Macromolecules 42 9082
[22] Sun Y, Steinhart M, Zschech D, Adhikari R, Michler G H and Gosele U 2005 Macromol. Rapid Commun. 26 369
[23] Ma M L, Krikorian V, Yu J, Thomas E L and Rutledge G C 2006 Nano Lett. 6 2969
[24] Ma M L, Titievsky K, Thomas E L and Rutledge G C 2009 Nano Lett. 9 1678
[25] He X H, Song M, Liang H J and Pan C 2001 J. Chem. Phys. 114 10510
[26] Sevink G J A, Zvelindovsky A V, Fraaije J and Huinink H P 2001 J. Chem. Phys. 115 8226
[27] Yu B, Li B H, Jin Q H, Ding D T and Shi A C 2007 Macromolecules 40 9133
[28] Li W H, Wickham R A and Garbary R A 2006 Macromolecules 39 806
[29] Yu B, Sun P C, Chen T H, Jin Q H, Ding D T, Li B H and Shi A C 2007 J. Chem. Phys. 127 114906
[30] Wang Q 2007 J. Chem. Phys. 126 024903
[31] Li W H and Wickham R A 2006 Macromolecules 39 8492
[32] Li W H and Wickham R A 2009 Macromolecules 42 7530
[33] Chen P, He X H and Liang H J 2006 J. Chem. Phys. 124 104906
[34] Feng J and Ruckenstein E 2006 Macromolecules 39 4899
[35] Feng J and Ruckenstein E 2006 J. Chem. Phys. 125 164911
[36] Feng J, Liu H L and Hu Y 2006 Macromolecular Theory and Simulations 15 674
[37] Li S B, Wang X H, Zhang L X, Liang H J and Chen P 2009 Polymer 50 5149
[38] Yu B, Sun P C, Chen T H, Jin Q H, Ding D T, Li B H and Shi A C 2006 Phys. Rev. Lett. 96 138306
[39] Yu B, Sun P C, Chen T H, Jin Q H, Ding D T, Li B H and Shi A C 2007 J. Chem. Phys. 126 204903
[40] Chen P, Liang H J and Shi A C 2007 Macromolecules 40 7329
[41] Wang Y, Qin Y, Berger A, Yau E, He C, Zhang L, Gosele U, Knez M and Steinhart M 2009 Adv. Mater. 21 2763
[42] Stewart-Sloan C R and Thomas E L 2011 Eur. Polymer J. 47 630
[43] Shi A C and Li B H 2012 in Polymer Science: A Comprehensive Reference, ed. Matyjaszewski K and Möller M (Amsterdam: Elsevier BV) Vol. 7, pp. 71-81
[44] Shi A C and Li B H 2013 Soft Matter 9 1398
[45] Wang X H, Li S B, Zhang L X and Liang H J 2011 Chin. Phys. B 20 083601
[46] Zhang L C, Sun M N, Pan J X, Wang B F, Zhang J J and Wu H S 2013 Chin. Phys. B 22 096401
[47] Jiang Y Y, Li H, Li Y F, Yu H Q, Liew K M, He Y Z and Liu X F 2011 ACS Nano 5 2126
[48] Li H and Chen W 2014 Sci. Rep. 4 3865
[49] Li Y F, Yu H Q, Li H, An C G, Zhang K, Liew K M and Liu X F 2011 J. Phys. Chem. C 115 6229
[50] Cheng J, Zhang F, Chuang V P, Mayes A M and Ross C A 2006 Nano Lett. 6 2099
[51] Chuang V P, Cheng J, Savas T A and Ross C A 2006 Nano Lett. 6 2332
[52] Xu Y C, Xie N, Li W H, Qiu F and Shi A C 2012 J. Chem. Phys. 137 194905
[53] Tan H G, Zhang M L, Deng Y J, Song Q G and Yan D D 2013 Polymer 54 6853
[54] Chen P, Liang H J, Xia R, Qian J S and Feng X S 2013 Macromolecules 46 922
[55] Zou Z X, He X H and Wang L 2012 J. Chem. Phys. 136 074902
[56] Carmesin I and Kremer K 1998 Macromolecules 21 2819
[57] Larson R G 1989 J. Chem. Phys 91 2479
[58] Larson R G 1992 J. Chem. Phys. 96 7904
[59] Kirkpatrick S, Gelatt C D and Vecchi M P 1983 Science 220 671
[60] Kirkpatrick S 1984 J. Stat. Phys. 34 975
[61] Grest G S, Soukoulis C M and Levin K 1986 Phys. Rev. Lett. 56 1148
[62] Chakrabarti A and Toral R 1989 Phys. Rev. B 39 542
[1] Phoretic self-assembly of active colloidal molecules
Lijie Lei(雷李杰), Shuo Wang(王硕), Xinyuan Zhang(张昕源), Wenjie Lai(赖文杰), Jinyu Wu(吴晋宇), and Yongxiang Gao(高永祥). Chin. Phys. B, 2021, 30(5): 056112.
[2] Phase behavior of rotationally asymmetric Brownian kites containing 90° internal angles
Huaqing Liu(柳华清), Yiwu Zong(宗奕吾), Zhanglin Hou(侯章林), Thomas G. Mason, and Kun Zhao(赵坤). Chin. Phys. B, 2021, 30(12): 124701.
[3] Scalable preparation of water-soluble ink of few-layered WSe2 nanosheets for large-area electronics
Guoyu Xian(冼国裕), Jianshuo Zhang(张建烁), Li Liu(刘丽), Jun Zhou(周俊), Hongtao Liu(刘洪涛), Lihong Bao(鲍丽宏), Chengmin Shen(申承民), Yongfeng Li(李永峰), Zhihui Qin(秦志辉), Haitao Yang(杨海涛). Chin. Phys. B, 2020, 29(6): 066802.
[4] Adsorption behavior of triphenylene on Ru(0001) investigated by scanning tunneling microscopy
Li-Wei Jing(井立威), Jun-Jie Song(宋俊杰), Yu-Xi Zhang(张羽溪), Qiao-Yue Chen(陈乔悦), Kai-Kai Huang(黄凯凯), Han-Jie Zhang(张寒洁), Pi-Mo He(何丕模). Chin. Phys. B, 2019, 28(7): 076801.
[5] Phosphine-free synthesis of FeTe2 nanoparticles and self-assembly into tree-like nanoarchitectures
Hongyu Wang(王红宇), Min Wu(武敏), Yixuan Wang(王艺璇), Hao Wang(王浩), Xiaoli Huang(黄晓丽), Xinyi Yang(杨新一). Chin. Phys. B, 2019, 28(10): 106401.
[6] Effect of substrate type on Ni self-assembly process
Xuzhao Chai(柴旭朝), Boyang Qu(瞿博阳), Yuechao Jiao(焦岳超), Ping Liu(刘萍), Yanxia Ma(马彦霞), Fengge Wang(王凤歌), Xiaoquan Li(李晓荃), Xiangqian Fang(方向前), Ping Han(韩平), Rong Zhang(张荣). Chin. Phys. B, 2019, 28(1): 016102.
[7] Phase transition of a diblock copolymer and homopolymer hybrid system induced by different properties of nanorods
Xiao-bo Geng(耿晓波), Jun-xing Pan(潘俊星), Jin-jun Zhang(张进军), Min-na Sun(孙敏娜), Jian-yong Cen(岑建勇). Chin. Phys. B, 2018, 27(5): 058102.
[8] Hydrophobic nanochannel self-assembled by amphipathic Janus particles confined in aqueous nano-space
Gang Fang(方钢), Nan Sheng(盛楠), Tan Jin(金坦), Yousheng Xu(许友生), Hai Sun(孙海), Jun Yao(姚军), Wei Zhuang(庄巍), Haiping Fang(方海平). Chin. Phys. B, 2018, 27(3): 030505.
[9] Enhanced performance of a solar cell based on a layer-by-layer self-assembled luminescence down-shifting layer of core-shell quantum dots
Ni Liu(刘妮), Shu-Xin Li(李淑鑫), Ying-Chun Ye(叶迎春), Yan-Li Yao(姚延立). Chin. Phys. B, 2018, 27(12): 127303.
[10] Improving self-assembly quality of colloidal crystal guided by statistical design of experiments
Yizhi Wu(吴以治), Xiaoliang Xu(许小亮), Haiming Zhang(张海明), Ling Liu(刘玲), Jichao Li(李继超), Dabao Yang(杨大宝). Chin. Phys. B, 2017, 26(3): 038105.
[11] Controllable preparation of tungsten/tungsten carbide nanowires or nanodots in nanostructured carbon with hollow macroporous core/mesoporous shell
Xiao-Na Ren(任晓娜), Min Xia(夏敏), Qing-Zhi Yan(燕青芝), Chang-Chun Ge(葛昌纯). Chin. Phys. B, 2017, 26(3): 038103.
[12] Anisotropic formation mechanism and nanomechanics for the self-assembly process of cross-β peptides
Li Deng(邓礼), Yurong Zhao(赵玉荣), Peng Zhou(周鹏), Hai Xu(徐海), Yanting Wang(王延颋). Chin. Phys. B, 2017, 26(12): 128701.
[13] Modulation of intra- and inter-sheet interactions in short peptide self-assembly by acetonitrile in aqueous solution
Li Deng(邓礼), Yurong Zhao(赵玉荣), Peng Zhou(周鹏), Hai Xu(徐海), Yanting Wang(王延颋). Chin. Phys. B, 2016, 25(12): 128704.
[14] Hierarchical processes in β -sheet peptide self-assembly from the microscopic to the mesoscopic level
Li Deng(邓礼) and Hai Xu(徐海). Chin. Phys. B, 2016, 25(1): 018701.
[15] Self-assembly of block copolymers grafted onto a flat substrate: Recent progress in theory and simulations
Zheng Wang(王铮) and Bao-Hui Li(李宝会). Chin. Phys. B, 2016, 25(1): 016402.
No Suggested Reading articles found!