Thermodynamic free energy behavior of diblock copolymer chains confined between planar surfaces having end-tethered flexible polymer molecules

A molecular model for the free energy of a confined system of diblock copolymer chains within a 2D slit with the interior surfaces having end-tethered chains is presented, based on a combined lattice and scaling theory approach. The thermodynamics of a model system, based on a constrained minimization of free energy, is explored as a function of the intermolecular energy parameters for interaction between the segments of block copolymer chains, end-tethered chains, and the surfaces. The effects of chain length and the block length ratio are investigated over a wide range of values. The results obtained are qualitative in nature; however, the model can be implemented to real systems provided appropriate parameterization of the model parameters to real systems can be performed. The phase diagrams obtained here provide ways for designing thermodynamically stable systems within the physical parametric variable space. © 2012 Copyright Taylor and Francis Group, LLC.