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Multiblock copolymers as polymeric surfactants: are “pancakes” better than “dumbbells”?
Author(s) -
Noolandi Jaan
Publication year - 1992
Publication title -
macromolecular theory and simulations
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.37
H-Index - 56
eISSN - 1521-3919
pISSN - 1022-1344
DOI - 10.1002/mats.1992.040010503
Subject(s) - copolymer , materials science , micelle , phase (matter) , pulmonary surfactant , adhesion , polymer , polymer chemistry , chemical physics , chemical engineering , chemistry , composite material , organic chemistry , aqueous solution , engineering
Abstract It is suggested that multiblock copolymers which form a pancake at the interface between two incompatible homopolymers would be more efficient as compatibilizers than di‐ or triblock copolymers. Less of the multiblock copolymers would be lost into the bulk phases as micelles or mesophases than di‐ or triblock copolymers if some degree of irregularity is included in the multiblock architecture, either in block length or chemical sequence distribution, without compromising the thermodynamic driving forces which localize the copolymers at the interface. This molecular design strategy is aimed at reducing the ability of the surfactant to form a separate phase, thereby increasing the interfacial activity in a nonequilibrium system with a large interfacial area. The multiblock loops which would preferentially orient into the most compatible homopolymer phases would have to exceed a certain critical size in order to avoid the entropic penalty of having an extremely flat pancake, and to provide good adhesion between the bulk phases.