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Lateral Phase Separation via Surface Bifurcation

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Fundamentals of Phase Separation in Polymer Blend Thin Films

Part of the book series: Springer Theses ((Springer Theses))

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Abstract

Diffusion simulations of polymer blend films with selectively attracting surfaces are used to identify the dynamics of lateral phase separation via a transient wetting layer.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    Vertical Phase Separation: phase separation into vertically layered phases, e.g. a bilayer, usually caused by preferential surface attraction.

  2. 2.

    Lateral Phase Separation: phase separation into laterally coexisting phases, whether from an approximately homogeneous film or a bilayer film, resulting in a laterally segregated film.

  3. 3.

    Vertically Segregated (film): layered phases with interfaces parallel to the surfaces.

  4. 4.

    Laterally Segregated (film): ‘column’ phases with interfaces perpendicular to the surfaces.

  5. 5.

    Lateral Phase Separation via a Transient Wetting Layer: vertical phase separation initially proceeds, due to preferential surface attraction, resulting in a vertically segregated film. This state is unstable, and lateral phase separation occurs, resulting in a laterally segregated film.

  6. 6.

    Pinning: values of \((\phi ,2\kappa \nabla _z\phi )\) at the film surfaces are determined by surface boundary conditions, such that the ends of trajectories are always pinned to these boundary conditions.

  7. 7.

    Surface Bifurcation: mechanism explaining the dynamics of lateral phase separation via a transient wetting layer, describing how the surface values \((\phi ,2\kappa \nabla _z\phi )\) of the TWL divide into two values that evolve towards those for laterally coexisting equilibria, whilst honouring the surface boundary conditions at all times throughout the entire process.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK

    Sam Coveney

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  1. Sam Coveney
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Correspondence to Sam Coveney .

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Coveney, S. (2015). Lateral Phase Separation via Surface Bifurcation. In: Fundamentals of Phase Separation in Polymer Blend Thin Films. Springer Theses. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-19399-1_5

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