A transition from cylindrical to spherical morphology in diblock copolymer thin films

Ken Ichi Niihara; Hidekazu Sugimori; Ukyo Matsuwaki; Fumio Hirato; Hiroshi Morita; Masao Doi; Hiroyasu Masunaga; Sono Sasaki; Hiroshi Jinnai

doi:10.1021/ma801892p

A transition from cylindrical to spherical morphology in diblock copolymer thin films

Ken Ichi Niihara, Hidekazu Sugimori, Ukyo Matsuwaki, Fumio Hirato, Hiroshi Morita, Masao Doi, Hiroyasu Masunaga, Sono Sasaki, Hiroshi Jinnai

IMRAM - Division of Measurements

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31 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Microphase-separated structures in poly(styrene-block-isoprene) (SI) block copolymer thin films were investigated by transmission electron microtomography (TEMT). The SI block copolymer showed cylindrical microdomains in the bulk state. Several block copolymer thin films with different thicknesses were prepared by spin-coating and were extensively annealed before the TEMT experiments. Intriguingly, although the cylindrical morphology orienting parallel to the substrate was observed in most of the cases, spherical microdomains were found at certain film thicknesses. The thickness dependence was investigated using a computer simulation based on the self-consistent-field theory, producing a morphological phase diagram, based on minimizing free energy. We find that the distortion of the hexagonal lattice of the cylindrical microdomains caused the morphological transition to the spherical microdomains.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	9318-9325
Number of pages	8
Journal	Macromolecules
Volume	41
Issue number	23
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1021/ma801892p
Publication status	Published - 2008 Dec 9

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abstract = "Microphase-separated structures in poly(styrene-block-isoprene) (SI) block copolymer thin films were investigated by transmission electron microtomography (TEMT). The SI block copolymer showed cylindrical microdomains in the bulk state. Several block copolymer thin films with different thicknesses were prepared by spin-coating and were extensively annealed before the TEMT experiments. Intriguingly, although the cylindrical morphology orienting parallel to the substrate was observed in most of the cases, spherical microdomains were found at certain film thicknesses. The thickness dependence was investigated using a computer simulation based on the self-consistent-field theory, producing a morphological phase diagram, based on minimizing free energy. We find that the distortion of the hexagonal lattice of the cylindrical microdomains caused the morphological transition to the spherical microdomains.",

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T1 - A transition from cylindrical to spherical morphology in diblock copolymer thin films

AU - Niihara, Ken Ichi

AU - Sugimori, Hidekazu

AU - Matsuwaki, Ukyo

AU - Hirato, Fumio

AU - Morita, Hiroshi

AU - Doi, Masao

AU - Masunaga, Hiroyasu

AU - Sasaki, Sono

AU - Jinnai, Hiroshi

PY - 2008/12/9

Y1 - 2008/12/9

N2 - Microphase-separated structures in poly(styrene-block-isoprene) (SI) block copolymer thin films were investigated by transmission electron microtomography (TEMT). The SI block copolymer showed cylindrical microdomains in the bulk state. Several block copolymer thin films with different thicknesses were prepared by spin-coating and were extensively annealed before the TEMT experiments. Intriguingly, although the cylindrical morphology orienting parallel to the substrate was observed in most of the cases, spherical microdomains were found at certain film thicknesses. The thickness dependence was investigated using a computer simulation based on the self-consistent-field theory, producing a morphological phase diagram, based on minimizing free energy. We find that the distortion of the hexagonal lattice of the cylindrical microdomains caused the morphological transition to the spherical microdomains.

AB - Microphase-separated structures in poly(styrene-block-isoprene) (SI) block copolymer thin films were investigated by transmission electron microtomography (TEMT). The SI block copolymer showed cylindrical microdomains in the bulk state. Several block copolymer thin films with different thicknesses were prepared by spin-coating and were extensively annealed before the TEMT experiments. Intriguingly, although the cylindrical morphology orienting parallel to the substrate was observed in most of the cases, spherical microdomains were found at certain film thicknesses. The thickness dependence was investigated using a computer simulation based on the self-consistent-field theory, producing a morphological phase diagram, based on minimizing free energy. We find that the distortion of the hexagonal lattice of the cylindrical microdomains caused the morphological transition to the spherical microdomains.

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A transition from cylindrical to spherical morphology in diblock copolymer thin films

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