accuracy comparable to the previous molecular density-based, simulation-dependent
theories at a computational expense comparable to atomic DFTs. Comparisons with
molecular simulations for the microstructure of the heteronuclear (model lipids and
block copolymers) and star-like branched polymer melts near a surface, demonstrate
the capability of the theory to accurately capture the effects of the polymer chain
architecture, segment-segment, and segment-surface interactions.
The DFT has been applied to analyze the lamellar morphologies of symmetric
diblock copolymers in bulk melts and ultra-thin films confined between two surfaces.
Effects of the chain length of the copolymer, incompatibility between the two blocks,
surface-block interactions, and film thickness on the microstructure are investigated.
Finally, the DFT has also been applied to predict the microstructure of the mono-
layers formed by grafted polymers (on a planar surface) and the force of interaction
between two such monolayers. The theory successfully accounts for the difference in
the segment sizes of the grafted polymer and the free polymer solvent. This has not
been investigated with the previous theoretical approaches for grafted polymers.