Issue 105, 2015

Monte Carlo study of the micelles constructed by ABCA tetrablock copolymers and their formation in A-selective solvents

Abstract

The phase behavior of the ABCA tetrablock copolymers in A-selective solvents is investigated using Lattice Monte Carlo simulation. The main focus is the effects of the solvophobic interactions of blocks B and C (εBS and εCS) on the micelle morphologies. Three kinds of ABCA tetrablock copolymers, i.e., A2B6C6A2, A2B7C5A2 and A2B8C4A2 tetrablock copolymers, are considered. Phase diagrams of these three tetrablock copolymers as a function of εCS and the solvophobic interaction difference between blocks B and C (which is measured by r = εBS/εCS) are given and discussed. It is found that r and εCS can both affect the specific surface area of micelles and lead to the morphological changes of ABCA tetrablock copolymer micelles. In addition, r can change the solvophobic chain conformation and hence affect the micro-structures of the solvophobic parts of the micelles. For A2B7C5A2 and A2B8C4A2 tetrablock copolymers, several novel micelle morphologies, such as the bended Janus ribbon and lamella, short Janus tube, and bowl-shaped semivesicle, are obtained. Interestingly, it is found that in the phase diagrams of A2B7C5A2 and A2B8C4A2 tetrablock copolymers, the micelle type with Janus-like solvophobic parts is the majority micelle type, which mainly results from the solvophobic interaction balance between blocks B and C. Moreover, the formation pathways for these novel Janus-type micelles are given and discussed.

Graphical abstract: Monte Carlo study of the micelles constructed by ABCA tetrablock copolymers and their formation in A-selective solvents

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
19 Jun 2015
Accepted
05 Oct 2015
First published
07 Oct 2015

RSC Adv., 2015,5, 86473-86484

Author version available

Monte Carlo study of the micelles constructed by ABCA tetrablock copolymers and their formation in A-selective solvents

J. Ma, J. Cui, Y. Han, W. Jiang and Y. Sun, RSC Adv., 2015, 5, 86473 DOI: 10.1039/C5RA11865D

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