Self-consistent field theory interactions between layers

Figure 3.38. Force-displacement curves measured for interactions between a scanning force microscope s tip and a layer of styrene-4-vinyl pyridine block copolymer (the degrees of polymerisation of the styrene and 4-vinyl pyridine blocks were 200 and 20, respectively) in toluene. The solid curve is the prediction of self-consistent field theory. After Ovemey et al. (1996).

In more recent work by Shull and coworkers, the preparation of swollen micelle composites was investigated using self-consistent mean theory (Lefebvre and Shull, 2006). This theoretical approach concluded that nanoparticles can be encapsulated in the center of swollen micelles by including an external-field term that creates an attraction between the surface of the particle and the homopolymer. This predicts the formation of nanocomposites from a diblock copolymer (AB) and additional selectively attractive homopolymer (C). This is achieved by first preparing a layer of C homopolymer, then a layer of nanoparticles, and then a blend of A homopolymer and asymmetric AB copolymer. Then upon annealing, favorable interactions between B and C repeat units cause the copolymer to migrate to the A/C interface. Attraction between the particle and the C repeat units causes the particles to diffuse into the C phase. When the interfacial tension is lowered by the copolymer, the interface develops curvature and micelles swollen with C form around the particles in the A phase. 

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