Effect of steady shear on multi-axial texture of symmetric diblock copolymers

Abstract

The effect of steady shear on multi-axial texture of symmetric diblock copolymer was investigated by using dynamic density functional theory. Through modifying the periodic boundary condition, the parallel-transverse biaxial texture and perpendicular-parallel-transverse triaxial texture have been observed. In the formation of the multi-axial texture, there are two critical velocities μ^*_per-par and µ^*_par-tra, at which the transition between the perpendicular and the parallel lamellar morphology, and the transition between the parallel and the transverse lamellar morphology occur, respectively. The two critical velocities increase as the interaction parameter increases, but they almost remain constant at different shear rates. Furthermore, the rotation from the transverse lamellae to the parallel lamellae induced by the shear strain, and the increase of lamellar spacings of the three lamellae after removing the shear, have also been observed by the time evolution of the morphologies. These phenomena are consistent with experimental work.

Keywords

dynamic density functional theory, symmetric block copolymer, steady shear, parallel-transverse biaxial texture, perpendicular-parallel-transverse triaxial texture