Changes in Micro-Phase Separation of Di-Block Copolymer Melts Induced by a Circle Fiber

Abstract

Using self-consistent field theory (SCFT), we computed phase-separated structure of di-block copolymer to apply this structure for the matrix of a composite. For this purpose, we combined SCFT with finite element method, which enables us to consider the effect of a smoothed boundary of a carbon fiber on the phase separation. In the result, a circularly shaped carbon fiber disturbs the phase separated structure: changes from lamella phase to cylinder phase are induced by a circle fiber and this induction is emphasized with increasing the fiber radius. Furthermore, we found that four parameters, block-ratio ( f ), polymer length ( N ) and Flory-Huggins parameter ( ï£ ), volume fraction of fiber (VM) are independently important to determine the equilibrium phase structures in a matrix penetrated by a circle fiber, even if only f and Nï£ are essential in the bulk phase.