Phase diagram of a mixed polymer brush

Abstract

We investigate the structure and phase behavior of a two-component (binary) polymer brush in a solvent within self-consistent field theory as a function of the chains’ stretching, the composition, and the incompatibility. Grafting the chains irreversibly prevents macrophase separation and the chains assemble into three-dimensional structures with lateral periodicity. At small incompatibilities a “ripple” phase is formed where different species aggregate into an array of parallel cylinders. At larger incompatibilities or asymmetric composition two “dimple” phases become stable, where different species form clusters which arrange on a quadratic (checkerboard structure) or hexagonal lattice.