Monolayer microdomains, thin films block copolymers

Investigations on the self-assembly in thin films of an amorphous P2VP-PS-P2VP triblock copolymer, forming cylindrical microdomains in bulk, showed that the orientation of microdomains due to the P2VP/substrate interactions persisted in the entire film in contrast to the diblock case [14], This was viewed as a result of the formation of an interconnected structure in the triblock coming from the formation of loops within the microdomains. More recently, AFM and SAKS measurements on a PEO-PBO-PEO amorphous-semicrystalline triblock thin film revealed the presence of a semicrystaUine PEO monolayer at the substrate, comprised of unfolded chains, and PBO blocks at the air/polymer siuface in a looped conformation (15]. 

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