1
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Qiao L, Vega DA, Schmid F. Stability and Elasticity of Ultrathin Sphere-Patterned Block Copolymer Films. Macromolecules 2024; 57:4629-4634. [PMID: 38765499 PMCID: PMC11100483 DOI: 10.1021/acs.macromol.4c00460] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2024] [Revised: 04/05/2024] [Accepted: 04/12/2024] [Indexed: 05/22/2024]
Abstract
Sphere-patterned ultrathin block copolymer films are potentially interesting for a variety of applications in nanotechnology. We use self-consistent field theory to investigate the elastic response of sphere monolayer films with respect to in-plane shear, in-plane extension, compression deformations, and bending. The relations between the in-plane elastic moduli are roughly compatible with the expectations for two-dimensional elastic systems with hexagonal symmetry, with one notable exception: The pure shear and the simple shear moduli differ from each other by roughly 20%. Even more importantly, the bending constants are found to be negative, indicating that free-standing block copolymer membranes made of only a sphere monolayer are inherently unstable above the glass transition. Our results are discussed in view of the experimental findings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Le Qiao
- Institut
für Physik, Johannes Gutenberg-Universität
Mainz, Mainz D55099, Germany
| | - Daniel A. Vega
- Instituto
de Física del Sur (IFISUR), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones
Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Universidad Nacional del Sur, Bahía Blanca 8000, Argentina
| | - Friederike Schmid
- Institut
für Physik, Johannes Gutenberg-Universität
Mainz, Mainz D55099, Germany
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2
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Ma S, Hou Y, Hao J, Lin C, Zhao J, Sui X. Well-Defined Nanostructures by Block Copolymers and Mass Transport Applications in Energy Conversion. Polymers (Basel) 2022; 14:polym14214568. [PMID: 36365562 PMCID: PMC9655174 DOI: 10.3390/polym14214568] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2022] [Revised: 10/24/2022] [Accepted: 10/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
With the speedy progress in the research of nanomaterials, self-assembly technology has captured the high-profile interest of researchers because of its simplicity and ease of spontaneous formation of a stable ordered aggregation system. The self-assembly of block copolymers can be precisely regulated at the nanoscale to overcome the physical limits of conventional processing techniques. This bottom-up assembly strategy is simple, easy to control, and associated with high density and high order, which is of great significance for mass transportation through membrane materials. In this review, to investigate the regulation of block copolymer self-assembly structures, we systematically explored the factors that affect the self-assembly nanostructure. After discussing the formation of nanostructures of diverse block copolymers, this review highlights block copolymer-based mass transport membranes, which play the role of “energy enhancers” in concentration cells, fuel cells, and rechargeable batteries. We firmly believe that the introduction of block copolymers can facilitate the novel energy conversion to an entirely new plateau, and the research can inform a new generation of block copolymers for more promotion and improvement in new energy applications.
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3
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Ding W, Hanson J, Burghardt WR, López-Barrón CR, Robertson ML. Shear Alignment Mechanisms of Close-Packed Spheres in a Bulk ABA Triblock Copolymer. Macromolecules 2022. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.macromol.2c01245] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Wenyue Ding
- William A. Brookshire Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, University of Houston, Houston, Texas 77204-4004, United States
| | - Josiah Hanson
- William A. Brookshire Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, University of Houston, Houston, Texas 77204-4004, United States
| | - Wesley R. Burghardt
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois,60208, United States
| | | | - Megan L. Robertson
- William A. Brookshire Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, University of Houston, Houston, Texas 77204-4004, United States
- Department of Chemistry, University of Houston, Houston, Texas 77204-4004, United States
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4
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Yun HS, Kim DH, Kwon HG, Choi HK. Centrifugal Force-Induced Alignment in the Self-Assembly of Block Copolymers. Macromolecules 2022. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.macromol.2c00325] [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)
- Hyun Su Yun
- Division of Advanced Materials Engineering, Kongju National University, Cheonan 31080, Republic of Korea
| | - Dong Hwan Kim
- Division of Advanced Materials Engineering, Kongju National University, Cheonan 31080, Republic of Korea
| | - Hong Gu Kwon
- Division of Advanced Materials Engineering, Kongju National University, Cheonan 31080, Republic of Korea
| | - Hong Kyoon Choi
- Center for Advanced Materials and Parts of Powder, Kongju National University, Cheonan 31080, Republic of Korea
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5
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Robertson M, Zhou Q, Ye C, Qiang Z. Developing Anisotropy in Self-Assembled Block Copolymers: Methods, Properties, and Applications. Macromol Rapid Commun 2021; 42:e2100300. [PMID: 34272778 DOI: 10.1002/marc.202100300] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2021] [Revised: 06/23/2021] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
Block copolymers (BCPs) self-assembly has continually attracted interest as a means to provide bottom-up control over nanostructures. While various methods have been demonstrated for efficiently ordering BCP nanodomains, most of them do not generically afford control of nanostructural orientation. For many applications of BCPs, such as energy storage, microelectronics, and separation membranes, alignment of nanodomains is a key requirement for enabling their practical use or enhancing materials performance. This review focuses on summarizing research progress on the development of anisotropy in BCP systems, covering a variety of topics from established aligning techniques, resultant material properties, and the associated applications. Specifically, the significance of aligning nanostructures and the anisotropic properties of BCPs is discussed and highlighted by demonstrating a few promising applications. Finally, the challenges and outlook are presented to further implement aligned BCPs into practical nanotechnological applications, where exciting opportunities exist.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark Robertson
- School of Polymer Science and Engineering, University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, MS, 39406, USA
| | - Qingya Zhou
- State Key Laboratory for Modification of Chemical Fibers and Polymer Materials, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Donghua University, Shanghai, 201620, China
| | - Changhuai Ye
- State Key Laboratory for Modification of Chemical Fibers and Polymer Materials, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Donghua University, Shanghai, 201620, China
| | - Zhe Qiang
- School of Polymer Science and Engineering, University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, MS, 39406, USA
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6
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Abate AA, Piqueras CM, Vega DA. Defect-Induced Order–Order Phase Transition in Triblock Copolymer Thin Films. Macromolecules 2021. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.macromol.0c02593] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Anabella A. Abate
- Department of Physics. Instituto de Física del Sur (IFISUR), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Universidad Nacional del Sur, 8000 Bahía Blanca, Argentina
| | - Cristian M. Piqueras
- Department of Chemical Engineering. Planta Piloto de Ingeniería Química (PLAPIQUI), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Universidad Nacional del Sur, 8000 Bahía Blanca, Argentina
| | - Daniel A. Vega
- Department of Physics. Instituto de Física del Sur (IFISUR), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Universidad Nacional del Sur, 8000 Bahía Blanca, Argentina
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7
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Abate AA, Vu GT, Piqueras CM, del Barrio MC, Gómez LR, Catalini G, Schmid F, Vega DA. Order–Order Phase Transitions Induced by Supercritical Carbon Dioxide in Triblock Copolymer Thin Films. Macromolecules 2019. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.macromol.9b01278] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Giang Thi Vu
- Institut für Physik, Johannes Gutenberg Universität Mainz, Staudinger Weg 7, D-55099 Mainz, Germany
| | | | | | | | | | - Friederike Schmid
- Institut für Physik, Johannes Gutenberg Universität Mainz, Staudinger Weg 7, D-55099 Mainz, Germany
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8
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Nakatani R, Chandra A, Uchiyama T, Nabae Y, Hayakawa T. Dynamic Ordering in High-χ Block Copolymer Lamellae Based on Cross-Sectional Orientational Alignment. ACS Macro Lett 2019; 8:1122-1127. [PMID: 35619441 DOI: 10.1021/acsmacrolett.9b00353] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Further development of next-generation block copolymer (BCP) lithography processes is contingent on comprehensive studies of the ordering dynamics of high-χ BCPs that can form sub-10 nm features on thin films. However, quantitative analyses of the degree of ordering on the surface and cross sections of thin films have been difficult to execute. To tackle this challenge, we employ a perpendicular lamella-forming high-χ BCP, poly(polyhedral oligomeric silsesquixone-block-2,2,2-trifluoroethyl methacrylate) (PMAPOSS-b-PTFEMA), and reveal that the high-χ PMAPOSS-b-PTFEMA requires three times the activation energy (Ea) compared to that of poly(styrene-block-methyl methacrylate) (PS-b-PMMA) for defect annihilation, at Ea = 2600 ± 420 kJ mol-1, and a transition from a fast ordering regime with a growth exponent of Φ = 0.30 at lower orientational order parameters (ψ2 < 0.36) to a slow ordering regime with Φ < 0.05 at ψ2 > 0.36, where well-aligned lamellae restrict defect annihilations to enthalpically unfavorable glide mechanisms that require BCP intermixing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryuichi Nakatani
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, School of Materials and Chemical Technology, Tokyo Institute of Technology, 2-12-1-S8-36 Ookayama, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 152-8552, Japan
| | - Alvin Chandra
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, School of Materials and Chemical Technology, Tokyo Institute of Technology, 2-12-1-S8-36 Ookayama, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 152-8552, Japan
| | - Takumi Uchiyama
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, School of Materials and Chemical Technology, Tokyo Institute of Technology, 2-12-1-S8-36 Ookayama, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 152-8552, Japan
| | - Yuta Nabae
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, School of Materials and Chemical Technology, Tokyo Institute of Technology, 2-12-1-S8-36 Ookayama, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 152-8552, Japan
| | - Teruaki Hayakawa
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, School of Materials and Chemical Technology, Tokyo Institute of Technology, 2-12-1-S8-36 Ookayama, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 152-8552, Japan
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9
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Vu GT, Abate AA, Gómez LR, Pezzutti AD, Register RA, Vega DA, Schmid F. Curvature as a Guiding Field for Patterns in Thin Block Copolymer Films. PHYSICAL REVIEW LETTERS 2018; 121:087801. [PMID: 30192564 DOI: 10.1103/physrevlett.121.087801] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2018] [Revised: 06/13/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Experimental data on thin films of cylinder-forming block copolymers (BC)-free-standing BC membranes as well as supported BC films-strongly suggest that the local orientation of the BC patterns is coupled to the geometry in which the patterns are embedded. We analyze this phenomenon using general symmetry considerations and numerical self-consistent field studies of curved BC films in cylindrical geometry. The stability of the films against curvature-induced dewetting is also analyzed. In good agreement with experiments, we find that the BC cylinders tend to align along the direction of curvature at high curvatures. At low curvatures, we identify a transition from perpendicular to parallel alignment in supported films, which is absent in free-standing membranes. Hence both experiments and theory show that curvature can be used to manipulate and align BC patterns.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giang Thi Vu
- Institut für Physik, Johannes Gutenberg Universität Mainz Staudinger Weg 7, D-55099 Mainz, Germany
| | - Anabella A Abate
- Department of Physics, Universidad Nacional del Sur-IFISUR CONICET, 800, Bahia Blanca, Argentina
| | - Leopoldo R Gómez
- Department of Physics, Universidad Nacional del Sur-IFISUR CONICET, 800, Bahia Blanca, Argentina
| | - Aldo D Pezzutti
- Department of Physics, Universidad Nacional del Sur-IFISUR CONICET, 800, Bahia Blanca, Argentina
| | - Richard A Register
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey 08544, USA
| | - Daniel A Vega
- Department of Physics, Universidad Nacional del Sur-IFISUR CONICET, 800, Bahia Blanca, Argentina
| | - Friederike Schmid
- Institut für Physik, Johannes Gutenberg Universität Mainz Staudinger Weg 7, D-55099 Mainz, Germany
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10
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Chen Y, Xu Q, Jin Y, Qian X, Ma R, Liu J, Yang D. Shear-induced parallel and transverse alignments of cylinders in thin films of diblock copolymers. SOFT MATTER 2018; 14:6635-6647. [PMID: 29999081 DOI: 10.1039/c8sm00833g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Coarse-grained Langevin dynamics simulations were performed to investigate the alignment behavior of monolayer films of cylinder-forming diblock copolymers under steady shear, a structure of significant importance for many technical applications such as nanopatterning. The influences of shear conditions, the interactions involved in the films, and the initial morphology of the cylinder-forming phase were examined. Our results showed that above a critical shear rate, the cylinders can align either along the shearing direction or transverse (log-rolling) to the shearing direction depending on the relative strength between the interchain attraction in the cylinders (εAA) and the surface attraction of the confining walls with the film (εBW). To understand the underlying mechanism, the microscopic properties of the films under shear were systematically investigated. It was found that at low εAA/εBW, the majority blocks of the diblock polymer that are adsorbed on the confining walls prefer to move synchronously with the walls, inducing the cylinder-forming blocks to align along the flow direction. When εAA/εBW is above a threshold value, a strong attraction between the cylinder-forming blocks restrains their movement during shear, leading to the log-rolling motions of the cylinders. To predict the threshold εAA/εBW, we developed an approach based on equilibrium thermodynamics data and found good agreement with our shear simulations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yulong Chen
- College of Materials Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou 310014, China.
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11
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Zhang C, Cavicchi KA, Li R, Yager KG, Fukuto M, Vogt BD. Thickness Limit for Alignment of Block Copolymer Films Using Solvent Vapor Annealing with Shear. Macromolecules 2018. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.macromol.8b00539] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Chao Zhang
- Department of Polymer Engineering, University of Akron, Akron, Ohio 44325, United States
| | - Kevin A. Cavicchi
- Department of Polymer Engineering, University of Akron, Akron, Ohio 44325, United States
| | | | | | | | - Bryan D. Vogt
- Department of Polymer Engineering, University of Akron, Akron, Ohio 44325, United States
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12
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Gómez LR, García NA, Register RA, Vega DA. Pattern formation mechanisms in sphere-forming diblock copolymer thin films. PAPERS IN PHYSICS 2018. [DOI: 10.4279/pip.100001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022] Open
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13
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Montana JS, Roland S, Richaud E, Miquelard-Garnier G. From equilibrium lamellae to out-of-equilibrium cylinders in triblock copolymer nanolayers obtained via multilayer coextrusion. POLYMER 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/j.polymer.2017.12.044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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14
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Welling U, Müller M. Ordering block copolymers with structured electrodes. SOFT MATTER 2017; 13:486-495. [PMID: 27973625 DOI: 10.1039/c6sm01911k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
We study the kinetics of alignment and registration of block copolymers in an inhomogeneous electric field by computer simulations of a soft, coarse-grained model. The two blocks of the symmetric diblock copolymers are characterized by different dielectric constants. First, we demonstrate that a combination of graphoepitaxy and a homogeneous electric field extends the maximal distance between the topographical guiding patterns that result in defect-free ordering compared to graphoepitaxy alone. In a second study, the electric field in the thin block copolymer film is fabricated by spatially structured electrodes on an isolating substrate arranged in a one-dimensional periodic array; no additional topographical guiding patterns are applied. The dielectrophoretic effect induces long-range orientational order of the lamellae and, additionally, registers the lamellar structure with the electrodes due to the field inhomogeneities at the edges of the structured electrodes. Thus, orientational and translational order is established by the inhomogeneous electric field. The simulations identify a process protocol of time-dependent electric potentials that suppresses defect formation by initially forming a sandwich-like structure and subsequently reorienting these lying into standing lamellae that are registered with the structure of the electrodes. This process-directed self-assembly results in large defect-free arrays of aligned and registered lamellae using electrodes with a saw-tooth period of 4 lamellar periodicities, L0, and a spacing of 10L0.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ulrich Welling
- Institut für Theoretische Physik, Georg-August-Universität, 37077 Göttingen, Germany.
| | - Marcus Müller
- Institut für Theoretische Physik, Georg-August-Universität, 37077 Göttingen, Germany.
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15
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Majewski PW, Yager KG. Rapid ordering of block copolymer thin films. JOURNAL OF PHYSICS. CONDENSED MATTER : AN INSTITUTE OF PHYSICS JOURNAL 2016; 28:403002. [PMID: 27537062 DOI: 10.1088/0953-8984/28/40/403002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
Block-copolymers self-assemble into diverse morphologies, where nanoscale order can be finely tuned via block architecture and processing conditions. However, the ultimate usage of these materials in real-world applications may be hampered by the extremely long thermal annealing times-hours or days-required to achieve good order. Here, we provide an overview of the fundamentals of block-copolymer self-assembly kinetics, and review the techniques that have been demonstrated to influence, and enhance, these ordering kinetics. We discuss the inherent tradeoffs between oven annealing, solvent annealing, microwave annealing, zone annealing, and other directed self-assembly methods; including an assessment of spatial and temporal characteristics. We also review both real-space and reciprocal-space analysis techniques for quantifying order in these systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pawel W Majewski
- Center for Functional Nanomaterials, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY, USA. Department of Chemistry, University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
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16
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Abate AA, Vu GT, Pezzutti AD, García NA, Davis RL, Schmid F, Register RA, Vega DA. Shear-Aligned Block Copolymer Monolayers as Seeds To Control the Orientational Order in Cylinder-Forming Block Copolymer Thin Films. Macromolecules 2016. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.macromol.6b00816] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Anabella A. Abate
- Instituto
de Física del Sur (IFISUR), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones
Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Universidad Nacional del Sur, 8000 Bahía Blanca, Argentina
| | - Giang Thi Vu
- Institut
für Physik, Johannes Gutenberg Universität Mainz, Staudinger Weg
7, D-55099 Mainz, Germany
| | - Aldo D. Pezzutti
- Instituto
de Física del Sur (IFISUR), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones
Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Universidad Nacional del Sur, 8000 Bahía Blanca, Argentina
| | - Nicolás A. García
- Instituto
de Física del Sur (IFISUR), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones
Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Universidad Nacional del Sur, 8000 Bahía Blanca, Argentina
| | - Raleigh L. Davis
- Department
of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey 08544, United States
| | - Friederike Schmid
- Institut
für Physik, Johannes Gutenberg Universität Mainz, Staudinger Weg
7, D-55099 Mainz, Germany
| | - Richard A. Register
- Department
of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey 08544, United States
| | - Daniel A. Vega
- Instituto
de Física del Sur (IFISUR), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones
Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Universidad Nacional del Sur, 8000 Bahía Blanca, Argentina
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17
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Wang S, Xie R, Vajjala Kesava S, Gomez ED, Cochran EW, Robertson ML. Close-Packed Spherical Morphology in an ABA Triblock Copolymer Aligned with Large-Amplitude Oscillatory Shear. Macromolecules 2016. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.macromol.6b00505] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Shu Wang
- Department
of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Houston, Houston, Texas 77204-4004, United States
| | - Renxuan Xie
- Department
of Chemical Engineering and the Materials Research Institute, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, United States
| | - Sameer Vajjala Kesava
- Department
of Chemical Engineering and the Materials Research Institute, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, United States
| | - Enrique D. Gomez
- Department
of Chemical Engineering and the Materials Research Institute, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, United States
| | - Eric W. Cochran
- Department
of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa 50011, United States
| | - Megan L. Robertson
- Department
of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Houston, Houston, Texas 77204-4004, United States
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18
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Directed self-assembly of block copolymers by chemical or topographical guiding patterns: Optimizing molecular architecture, thin-film properties, and kinetics. Prog Polym Sci 2016. [DOI: 10.1016/j.progpolymsci.2015.10.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 107] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
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19
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Liedel C, Lewin C, Tsarkova L, Böker A. Reversible Switching of Block Copolymer Nanopatterns by Orthogonal Electric Fields. SMALL (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2015; 11:6058-6064. [PMID: 26449286 DOI: 10.1002/smll.201502259] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2015] [Revised: 09/02/2015] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
It is demonstrated that the orientation of striped patterns can be reversibly switched between two perpendicular in-plane orientations upon exposure to electric fields. The results on thin films of symmetric polystyrene-block-poly(2-vinyl pyridine) polymer in the intermediate segregation regime disclose two types of reorientation mechanisms from perpendicular to parallel relative to the electric field orientation. Domains orient via grain rotation and via formation of defects such as stretched undulations and temporal phase transitions. The contribution of additional fields to the structural evolution is also addressed to elucidate the generality of the observed phenomena. In particular solvent effects are considered. This study reveals the stabilization of the meta-stable in-plane oriented lamella due to sequential swelling and quenching of the film. Further, the reorientation behavior of lamella domains blended with selective nanoparticles is addressed, which affect the interfacial tensions of the blocks and hence introduce another internal field to the studied system. Switching the orientation of aligned block copolymer patterns between two orthogonal directions may open new applications of nanomaterials as switchable electric nanowires or optical gratings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clemens Liedel
- Department of Colloid Chemistry, Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces, Research Campus Golm, 14476, Potsdam, Germany
| | - Christian Lewin
- Institute of Physical Chemistry, RWTH Aachen University and DWI-Leibniz-Institute for Interactive Materials, Forckenbeckstraße 50, 52056, Aachen, Germany
| | - Larisa Tsarkova
- Institute of Physical Chemistry, RWTH Aachen University and DWI-Leibniz-Institute for Interactive Materials, Forckenbeckstraße 50, 52056, Aachen, Germany
| | - Alexander Böker
- Fraunhofer-Institut für Angewandte Polymerforschung (IAP), Lehrstuhl für Polymermaterialien und Polymertechnologien, Universität Potsdam, Geiselbergstrasse 69, 14476, Potsdam, Germany
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20
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Modi A, Bhaway SM, Vogt BD, Douglas JF, Al-Enizi A, Elzatahry A, Sharma A, Karim A. Direct Immersion Annealing of Thin Block Copolymer Films. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2015; 7:21639-45. [PMID: 26351823 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.5b06259] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
We demonstrate ordering of thin block copolymer (BCP) films via direct immersion annealing (DIA) at enhanced rate leading to stable morphologies. The BCP films are immersed in carefully selected mixtures of good and marginal solvents that can impart enhanced polymer mobility, while inhibiting film dissolution. DIA is compatible with roll-to-roll assembly manufacturing and has distinct advantages over conventional thermal annealing and batch processing solvent-vapor annealing methods. We identify three solvent composition-dependent BCP film ordering regimes in DIA for the weakly interacting polystyrene-poly(methyl methacrylate) (PS-PMMA) system: rapid short-range order, optimal long-range order, and a film instability regime. Kinetic studies in the "optimal long-range order" processing regime as a function of temperature indicate a significant reduction of activation energy for BCP grain growth compared to oven annealing at conventional temperatures. An attractive feature of DIA is its robustness to ordering other BCP (e.g. PS-P2VP) and PS-PMMA systems exhibiting spherical, lamellar and cylindrical ordering.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arvind Modi
- Department of Polymer Engineering, University of Akron , Akron, Ohio 44325, United States
| | - Sarang M Bhaway
- Department of Polymer Engineering, University of Akron , Akron, Ohio 44325, United States
| | - Bryan D Vogt
- Department of Polymer Engineering, University of Akron , Akron, Ohio 44325, United States
| | - Jack F Douglas
- Materials Science and Engineering Division, National Institute of Standards and Technology , Gaithersburg, Maryland 20899, United States
| | - Abdullah Al-Enizi
- Chemistry Department, Faculty of Science, King Saud University , Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia
| | - Ahmed Elzatahry
- Materials Science and Technology Program, College of Arts and Sciences, Qatar University , PO Box 2713 , Doha, Qatar
| | - Ashutosh Sharma
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur , Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh 208016, India
| | - Alamgir Karim
- Department of Polymer Engineering, University of Akron , Akron, Ohio 44325, United States
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21
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Wrinkles and splay conspire to give positive disclinations negative curvature. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2015; 112:12639-44. [PMID: 26420873 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1514379112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Recently, there has been renewed interest in the coupling between geometry and topological defects in crystalline and striped systems. Standard lore dictates that positive disclinations are associated with positive Gaussian curvature, whereas negative disclinations give rise to negative curvature. Here, we present a diblock copolymer system exhibiting a striped columnar phase that preferentially forms wrinkles perpendicular to the underlying stripes. In free-standing films this wrinkling behavior induces negative Gaussian curvature to form in the vicinity of positive disclinations.
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22
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Davis RL, Michal BT, Chaikin PM, Register RA. Progression of Alignment in Thin Films of Cylinder-Forming Block Copolymers upon Shearing. Macromolecules 2015. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.macromol.5b01028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Raleigh L. Davis
- Department
of Chemical and Biological Engineering and Princeton Institute for
the Science and Technology of Materials, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey 08544, United States
| | - Brian T. Michal
- Department
of Chemical and Biological Engineering and Princeton Institute for
the Science and Technology of Materials, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey 08544, United States
| | - Paul M. Chaikin
- Department
of Physics, New York University, New York, New York 10003, United States
| | - Richard A. Register
- Department
of Chemical and Biological Engineering and Princeton Institute for
the Science and Technology of Materials, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey 08544, United States
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23
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Li W, Müller M. Defects in the Self-Assembly of Block Copolymers and Their Relevance for Directed Self-Assembly. Annu Rev Chem Biomol Eng 2015; 6:187-216. [DOI: 10.1146/annurev-chembioeng-061114-123209] [Citation(s) in RCA: 102] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Block copolymer self-assembly provides a platform for fabricating dense, ordered nanostructures by encoding information in the chemical architecture of multicomponent macromolecules. Depending on the volume fraction of the components and chain topology, these macromolecules form a variety of spatially periodic microphases in thermodynamic equilibrium. The kinetics of self-assembly, however, often results in initial morphologies with defects, and the subsequent ordering is protracted. Different strategies have been devised to direct the self-assembly of copolymer materials by external fields to align and perfect the self-assembled nanostructures. Understanding and controlling the thermodynamics of defects, their response to external fields, and their dynamics is important because applications in microelectronics either require extremely low defect densities or aim at generating specific defects at predetermined locations to fabricate irregular device-oriented structures for integrated circuits. In this review, we discuss defect morphologies of block copolymers in the bulk and thin films, highlighting (a) analogies to and differences from defects in other crystalline materials, (b) the stability of defects and their dynamics, and (c) the influence of external fields.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weihua Li
- Institute for Theoretical Physics, Georg-August University, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
- Department of Macromolecular Science, State Key Laboratory of Molecular Engineering of Polymers, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, China
| | - Marcus Müller
- Institute for Theoretical Physics, Georg-August University, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
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24
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Sano M, Nakamura S, Hara M, Nagano S, Shinohara Y, Amemiya Y, Seki T. Pathways toward Photoinduced Alignment Switching in Liquid Crystalline Block Copolymer Films. Macromolecules 2014. [DOI: 10.1021/ma501803g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Yuya Shinohara
- Graduate
School of Frontier Sciences, The University of Tokyo, 5-1-5, Kashiwanoha, Kashiwa 227-8561, Japan
| | - Yoshiyuki Amemiya
- Graduate
School of Frontier Sciences, The University of Tokyo, 5-1-5, Kashiwanoha, Kashiwa 227-8561, Japan
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25
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Peters RD, Dalnoki-Veress K. Strain rate effects on symmetric diblock copolymer liquid bridges: order-induced stability of polymer fibres. THE EUROPEAN PHYSICAL JOURNAL. E, SOFT MATTER 2014; 37:100. [PMID: 25348664 DOI: 10.1140/epje/i2014-14100-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2014] [Revised: 09/23/2014] [Accepted: 10/07/2014] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
Optical microscopy is used to study the effect of lamellar order on the evolution of polymer-melt bridges. Measurements are performed on symmetric diblock copolymers and linear homopolymers in the melt state. Diblock copolymer bridges measured in the disordered phase are shown to exhibit the same strain rate response as their homopolymer counterparts: shear thinning at low strain rates and shear thickening at high strain rates. However, when measured in the ordered phase, copolymer-melt bridges demonstrate an increased effective viscosity due to the lamellar order and a shear thinning response over the entire range of strain rates probed. The increased viscosity demonstrates an enhanced stability in lamellae forming diblock liquid bridges, presumed to be caused by the isotropic orientational order of lamellar domains that provide energy barriers to flow within the bridge. The shear thinning can be understood as an alignment of lamellae along the axis of the bridge due to flow, facilitating unimpeded diffusion of polymer out of the liquid bridge along lamellar boundaries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert D Peters
- Department of Physics & Astronomy and the Brockhouse Institute for Materials Research, McMaster University, Hamilton, Canada
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26
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Qiang Z, Zhang Y, Groff JA, Cavicchi KA, Vogt BD. A generalized method for alignment of block copolymer films: solvent vapor annealing with soft shear. SOFT MATTER 2014; 10:6068-76. [PMID: 25004006 DOI: 10.1039/c4sm00875h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
One of the key issues associated with the utilization of block copolymer (BCP) thin films in nanoscience and nanotechnology is control of their alignment and orientation over macroscopic dimensions. We have recently reported a method, solvent vapor annealing with soft shear (SVA-SS), for fabricating unidirectional alignment of cylindrical nanostructures. This method is a simple extension of the common SVA process by adhering a flat, crosslinked poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) pad to the BCP thin film. The impact of processing parameters, including annealing time, solvent removal rate and the physical properties of the PDMS pad, on the quality of alignment quantified by the Herman's orientational factor (S) is systematically examined for a model system of polystyrene-block-polyisoprene-block-polystyrene (SIS). As annealing time increases, the SIS morphology transitions from isotropic rods to highly aligned cylinders. Decreasing the rate of solvent removal, which impacts the shear rate imposed by the contraction of the PDMS, improves the orientation factor of the cylindrical domains; this suggests the nanostructure alignment is primarily induced by contraction of PDMS during solvent removal. Moreover, the physical properties of the PDMS controlled by the crosslink density impact the orientation factor by tuning its swelling extent during SVA-SS and elastic modulus. Decreasing the PDMS crosslink density increases S; this effect appears to be primarily driven by the changes in the solubility of the SVA-SS solvent in the PDMS. With this understanding of the critical processing parameters, SVA-SS has been successfully applied to align a wide variety of BCPs including polystyrene-block-polybutadiene-block-polystyrene (SBS), polystyrene-block-poly(N,N-dimethyl-n-octadecylammonium p-styrenesulfonate) (PS-b-PSS-DMODA), polystyrene-block-polydimethylsiloxane (PS-b-PDMS) and polystyrene-block-poly(2-vinlypyridine) (PS-b-P2VP). These results suggest that SVA-SS is a generalizable method for the alignment of BCP thin films.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhe Qiang
- Department of Polymer Engineering, University of Akron, Akron, OH 44325, USA.
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27
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Davis RL, Chaikin PM, Register RA. Cylinder Orientation and Shear Alignment in Thin Films of Polystyrene–Poly(n-hexyl methacrylate) Diblock Copolymers. Macromolecules 2014. [DOI: 10.1021/ma5012705] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Raleigh L. Davis
- Department
of Chemical and Biological Engineering and Princeton Institute for
the Science and Technology of Materials, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey 08544, United States
| | - Paul M. Chaikin
- Department
of Physics, New York University, New York, New York 10003, United States
| | - Richard A. Register
- Department
of Chemical and Biological Engineering and Princeton Institute for
the Science and Technology of Materials, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey 08544, United States
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28
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Qiang Z, Zhang L, Stein GE, Cavicchi KA, Vogt BD. Unidirectional Alignment of Block Copolymer Films Induced by Expansion of a Permeable Elastomer during Solvent Vapor Annealing. Macromolecules 2014. [DOI: 10.1021/ma402131j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 70] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Zhe Qiang
- Department
of Polymer Engineering, University of Akron, Akron, Ohio 44325, United States
| | - Longhe Zhang
- Department
of Polymer Engineering, University of Akron, Akron, Ohio 44325, United States
| | - Gila E. Stein
- Department
of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Houston, Houston, Texas 77204, United States
| | - Kevin A. Cavicchi
- Department
of Polymer Engineering, University of Akron, Akron, Ohio 44325, United States
| | - Bryan D. Vogt
- Department
of Polymer Engineering, University of Akron, Akron, Ohio 44325, United States
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29
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García NA, Davis RL, Kim SY, Chaikin PM, Register RA, Vega DA. Mixed-morphology and mixed-orientation block copolymer bilayers. RSC Adv 2014. [DOI: 10.1039/c4ra06764a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Three-dimensional block copolymer structures with long-range order and mixed symmetries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicolás A. García
- Instituto de Física del Sur (IFISUR)
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET)
- Departamento de Física. Universidad Nacional del Sur. Av. LN Alem 1253
- 8000 Bahía Blanca, Argentina
| | - Raleigh L. Davis
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering
- Princeton University
- Princeton, USA
| | - So Youn Kim
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering
- Princeton University
- Princeton, USA
- School of Energy and Chemical Engineering
- Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology
| | - Paul M. Chaikin
- Center for Soft Condensed Matter Research and Department of Physics
- New York University
- New York, USA
| | - Richard A. Register
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering
- Princeton University
- Princeton, USA
| | - Daniel A. Vega
- Instituto de Física del Sur (IFISUR)
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET)
- Departamento de Física. Universidad Nacional del Sur. Av. LN Alem 1253
- 8000 Bahía Blanca, Argentina
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30
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Wilbur JD, Gomez ED, Ellsworth MW, Garetz BA, Balsara NP. Thermoreversible Changes in Aligned and Cross-Linked Block Copolymer Melts Studied by Two Color Depolarized Light Scattering. Macromolecules 2012. [DOI: 10.1021/ma300860g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Jeffrey D. Wilbur
- Department of Chemical
and Biomolecular
Engineering, University of California,
Berkeley, California 94720, United States
| | - Enrique D. Gomez
- Department of Chemical
and Biomolecular
Engineering, University of California,
Berkeley, California 94720, United States
- Materials Sciences Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California
94720, United States
| | - Mark W. Ellsworth
- TAMKO Building Products, Inc., Joplin, Missouri 64802, United States
| | - Bruce A. Garetz
- Department of Chemical and Biological
Sciences, Polytechnic Institute of NYU,
Brooklyn, New York 12001, United States
| | - Nitash P. Balsara
- Department of Chemical
and Biomolecular
Engineering, University of California,
Berkeley, California 94720, United States
- Materials Sciences Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California
94720, United States
- Environmental Energy Technologies
Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California 94720,
United States
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31
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Marencic AP, Chaikin PM, Register RA. Orientational order in cylinder-forming block copolymer thin films. PHYSICAL REVIEW. E, STATISTICAL, NONLINEAR, AND SOFT MATTER PHYSICS 2012; 86:021507. [PMID: 23005769 DOI: 10.1103/physreve.86.021507] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2012] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
Shear can impart a high degree of orientational order to supported block copolymer thin films containing one or more layers of cylindrical microdomains, leading to a striped pattern with a period of tens of nanometers extending over macroscopic (centimeter-squared) areas. Though the as-deposited films have a polygrain structure, after shearing at sufficiently high stresses the only defects which remain are isolated dislocations, and the orientational order can be quite high (nematic or twofold orientational order parameter >0.99, as measured by tapping-mode atomic force microscopy). The effect of isolated dislocations on orientational order is adequately captured by an isotropic elastic continuum model of the structure surrounding the dislocation, producing a linear decrease of order parameter with dislocation density. Even at zero dislocation density, however, the order parameter does not quite reach unity, due to small-amplitude undulations of the cylinders about their axes which persist in the transverse direction over several cylinder periods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew P Marencic
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey 08544, USA
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32
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Heinzer MJ, Han S, Pople JA, Baird DG, Martin SM. In Situ Tracking of Microstructure Spacing and Ordered Domain Compression during the Drying of Solution-Cast Block Copolymer Films Using Small-Angle X-ray Scattering. Macromolecules 2012. [DOI: 10.1021/ma2026435] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Michael J. Heinzer
- Department
of Chemical Engineering, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, Virginia 24061-0211,
United States
| | - Sangil Han
- Department
of Chemical Engineering, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, Virginia 24061-0211,
United States
| | - John A. Pople
- Stanford
Synchotron Radiation Lightsource, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Menlo Park, California 94025, United States
| | - Donald G. Baird
- Department
of Chemical Engineering, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, Virginia 24061-0211,
United States
| | - Stephen M. Martin
- Department
of Chemical Engineering, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, Virginia 24061-0211,
United States
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33
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Sun M, Zhang JJ, Wang B, Wu HS, Pan J. Domain patterns in a diblock copolymer-diblock copolymer mixture with oscillatory particles. PHYSICAL REVIEW. E, STATISTICAL, NONLINEAR, AND SOFT MATTER PHYSICS 2011; 84:011802. [PMID: 21867200 DOI: 10.1103/physreve.84.011802] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2010] [Revised: 05/04/2011] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
We investigate the orientational order transition of striped patterns in microphase structures of diblock copolymer-diblock copolymer mixtures in the presence of periodic oscillatory particles. Under certain conditions, although the macrophase separation of a system is almost isotropic, microphase separation of one diblock copolymer takes place and becomes anisotropic gradually. By changing the oscillatory frequency and amplitude, the orientational order transition of a striped microphase structure from the state parallel to the oscillatory direction to the state perpendicular to the oscillatory direction is observed. We also find that the order transition occurs when we change the initial composition ratio. Furthermore, we examine the domain size and the orientational order parameter of microstructure in the process of orientational order transition. The results may provide guidance for experimentalists. This model system can also give a simple way to realize orientational order transition of soft materials by changing the oscillatory field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Minna Sun
- School of Chemistry and Materials Science, Shanxi Normal University, Linfen 041004, China
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34
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Pezzutti AD, Vega DA, Villar MA. Dynamics of dislocations in a two-dimensional block copolymer system with hexagonal symmetry. PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. SERIES A, MATHEMATICAL, PHYSICAL, AND ENGINEERING SCIENCES 2011; 369:335-350. [PMID: 21149375 DOI: 10.1098/rsta.2010.0269] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
Abstract
Block copolymer thin films have attracted considerable attention for their ability to self-assemble into nanometre-scale architectures. Recent advances in the use of block copolymer thin films as nano-lithographic masks have driven research efforts in order to have better control of long-range ordering in the plane of the film. Irrespective of the method of sample preparation, different quasi-two-dimensional systems with hexagonal symmetry unavoidably contain translational defects, called dislocations. Dislocations control the process of coarsening in the nano/meso-scales and provide one of the most important mechanisms of length-scale selection in hexagonal patterns. Although in the last decade the nonlinear dynamics of topological defects in quasi-two-dimensional systems has witnessed significant progress, still little is known about the role of external fields on the creation and annihilation mechanisms involved in the relaxation process towards equilibrium states. In this paper, the dynamics of dislocations in non-optimal hexagonal patterns is studied in the framework of the Ohta-Kawasaki model for a diblock copolymer. Measurements of the climb and glide velocities as a function of the wave vector deformation reveal the main mechanisms of relaxation associated with the motion of dislocations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aldo D Pezzutti
- Instituto de Física del Sur, Department of Physics, Universidad Nacional del Sur-CONICET, Avenida L.N. Alem 1253, (8000) Bahía Blanca, Argentina
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35
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Marencic AP, Register RA. Controlling Order in Block Copolymer Thin Films for Nanopatterning Applications. Annu Rev Chem Biomol Eng 2010; 1:277-97. [DOI: 10.1146/annurev-chembioeng-073009-101007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 106] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
An attractive “unconventional” lithographic technique to pattern periodic, sub-100 nm features uses self-assembled block copolymer thin films as etch masks. Unfortunately, as-cast films lack the orientational and positional order of the microphase-separated domains that are necessary for many desired applications. Reviewed herein are techniques developed to guide the self-assembly process in thin films, which permit varying degrees of control over the patterns formed by the microdomains. Techniques that can control the out-of-plane order of the microdomains are first summarized. Then, techniques that control the lateral ordering are reviewed, beginning with those that generate large defect-free grains, then those that impart orientational order to the microdomains, and finally those that can control both the orientation and position of individual microdomains. Each technique is summarized with experimental examples and discussions regarding the mechanism of the guided self-assembly process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew P. Marencic
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey 08544
| | - Richard A. Register
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey 08544
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