Dynamic density functional approach to phase separation dynamics of polymer systems

Slow dynamics of complex domain structures in phase separating polymer systems is investigated with the use of the self-consistent field (SCF) dynamic density functional (DDF) technique where the free energy of the system is calculated using the path integral formalism of the polymer chain conformation. We apply this technique to micellization of block copolymers and to phase separation of polymer blends containing block copolymers as a compatibilizer. In order to study the late stage of the phase separation processes more efficiently, we adopt the so-called Ginzburg-Landau approach, where a phenomenological model free energy functional is used. Numerical results of this approach is quantitatively compared with the results of the SCF approach.