Confinement effects on the microphase separation and swelling of block copolymer films

Abstract

Confinement significantly affects the main physical properties of soft materials, in particular solvent - polymer interactions. Microphase separation in block copolymer films is known to be sensitive to the changes in the system parameters and experimental conditions. Here we present recent studies on the solvent-assisted self-assembly of block copolymers, and their swelling behavior under controlled variation of the the film thickness, interfacial interactions, and of the solvent vapor concentration. © Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2010.