The name is absent

bilayers, shows the applicability of modified iSAFT for future work on self assembly
of surfactant-oil-water systems and biopolymers.

In addition to the validation of modified iSAFT, two specific problems have
been rigorously analyzed. First problem concerns the self-assembly of symmetric di-
block copolymers to form lamellar microstructures. In bulk melts, symmetric diblock
copolymers undergo order disorder transition (ODT) from a disordered homogeneous
to an ordered lamellar phase as the difference in the physiochemical properties of
its two blocks increases. This lamellar morphology is investigated using modified
iSAFT. In comparison to previous theoretical approaches using self consistent field
theory (SOFT), modified iSAFT accurately predicts the lamellar structure and the
interface between two lamellae. Diblock copolymers have potential applications in
development of the next generation of sub micron scale electronics and optical de-
vices. These applications involve thin films of copolymers confined between selective
surfaces. Hence, modified iSAFT is also applied to investigate the effect of confine-
ment on the ordered lamellar phases of symmetric diblock copolymers. Again, in
comparison to SCFT, modified iSAFT includes compressibility and segment-level ef-
fects which affect the relative stabilities of different lamellar phases. Future work on
this area will involve more complex morphologies of block copolymers, depicted in
fig. 1.1.

The second problem is the application of modified iSAFT to tethered∕grafted
polymers. Grafted polymers have several industrial applications in colloid Stabiliza-

225

<<   234   235   236   237   238   239   240   >>

More intriguing information