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Dong Q, Xu Z, Song Q, Qiang Y, Cao Y, Li W. Automated Search Strategy for Novel Ordered Structures of Block Copolymers. ACS Macro Lett 2024:987-993. [PMID: 39042468 DOI: 10.1021/acsmacrolett.4c00384] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/25/2024]
Abstract
Block copolymers with different architectures can possibly generate innumerable stable or metastable structures and thus provide an irreplaceable platform for theoretically exploring novel structures. Self-consistent field theory (SCFT) is a powerful tool to predict the ordered structures of block copolymers; however, it is sensitively dependent on its initial condition. Here we propose to use multiple symmetry-adapted basis functions to generate the initial conditions of SCFT and then apply Bayesian optimization to search for ordered structures by navigating the coefficient space of these basis functions. Without any prior knowledge, our scheme can automatically recover hundreds of ordered structures for two simple block copolymers, including most of the common structures and complex Frank-Kasper structures, together with many novel structures. By applying the automated scheme to various block copolymers, a huge number of novel structures can be obtained to expand the structural library, which may create new opportunities for the scientific community.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qingshu Dong
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Engineering of Polymers, Research Center of AI for Polymer Science, Key Laboratory of Computational Physical Sciences, Department of Macromolecular Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, China
| | - Zhanwen Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Engineering of Polymers, Research Center of AI for Polymer Science, Key Laboratory of Computational Physical Sciences, Department of Macromolecular Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, China
| | - Qingliang Song
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Engineering of Polymers, Research Center of AI for Polymer Science, Key Laboratory of Computational Physical Sciences, Department of Macromolecular Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, China
| | - Yicheng Qiang
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Engineering of Polymers, Research Center of AI for Polymer Science, Key Laboratory of Computational Physical Sciences, Department of Macromolecular Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, China
| | - Yu Cao
- Shaanxi International Research Center for Soft Matter, State Key Laboratory for Mechanical Behavior of Materials, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710049, China
| | - Weihua Li
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Engineering of Polymers, Research Center of AI for Polymer Science, Key Laboratory of Computational Physical Sciences, Department of Macromolecular Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, China
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Case LJ, Bates FS, Dorfman KD. Tuning conformational asymmetry in particle-forming diblock copolymer alloys. SOFT MATTER 2022; 19:90-97. [PMID: 36472126 DOI: 10.1039/d2sm01332k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Self-consistent field theory is employed to compute the phase behavior of binary blends of conformationally asymmetric, micelle-forming diblock copolymers with miscible corona blocks and immiscible core blocks (a diblock copolymer "alloy"). The calculations focus on establishing conditions that promote the formation of Laves phases by tuning the relative softness of the cores of the two different Laves phase particles via independent control of their conformational asymmetries. Increasing the conformational asymmetry of the more spherical particles of the Laves structure has a stabilizing effect, consistent with the expectations of increased imprinting of the Wigner-Seitz cells on the core/corona interface as conformational asymmetry increases. The resulting phase diagram in the temperature-blend composition space features a more stable Laves phase field than that predicted for conformationally symmetric systems. The phase field closes at low temperatures in favor of macrophase separation between a hexagonally-packed cylinder (hex) phase and a body-centered cubic phase. Companion calculations, using an alloy whose components do not produce a hex phase in the neat melt state, suggest that the Laves phase field in such a blend will persist at strong segregation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Logan J Case
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, 421 Washington Ave SE, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, USA.
| | - Frank S Bates
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, 421 Washington Ave SE, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, USA.
| | - Kevin D Dorfman
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, 421 Washington Ave SE, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, USA.
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Zhao F, Dong Q, Li Q, Liu M, Li W. Emergence and Stability of Exotic “Binary” HCP-Type Spherical Phase in Binary AB/AB Blends. Macromolecules 2022. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.macromol.2c01957] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Fengmei Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Engineering of Polymers, Key Laboratory of Computational Physical Sciences, Department of Macromolecular Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, China
| | - Qingshu Dong
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Engineering of Polymers, Key Laboratory of Computational Physical Sciences, Department of Macromolecular Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, China
| | - Qingyun Li
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Engineering of Polymers, Key Laboratory of Computational Physical Sciences, Department of Macromolecular Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, China
| | - Meijiao Liu
- Department of Chemistry, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, Hangzhou 310018, China
| | - Weihua Li
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Engineering of Polymers, Key Laboratory of Computational Physical Sciences, Department of Macromolecular Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, China
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Magruder BR, Park SJ, Collanton RP, Bates FS, Dorfman KD. Laves Phase Field in a Diblock Copolymer Alloy. Macromolecules 2022. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.macromol.2c00346] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin R. Magruder
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, University of Minnesota Twin Cities, 421 Washington Ave SE, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - So Jung Park
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, University of Minnesota Twin Cities, 421 Washington Ave SE, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Ryan P. Collanton
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, University of Minnesota Twin Cities, 421 Washington Ave SE, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Frank S. Bates
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, University of Minnesota Twin Cities, 421 Washington Ave SE, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Kevin D. Dorfman
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, University of Minnesota Twin Cities, 421 Washington Ave SE, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
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