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On Modelling Surface Directed Spinodal Decomposition
Author(s) -
Henderson Ian C.,
Clarke Nigel
Publication year - 2005
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.200500027
Subject(s) - spinodal decomposition , spinodal , surface (topology) , polymer blend , polymer , binary number , statistical physics , component (thermodynamics) , materials science , decomposition , phase (matter) , thermodynamics , morphology (biology) , chemical physics , mathematics , physics , copolymer , chemistry , geometry , geology , composite material , paleontology , arithmetic , organic chemistry , quantum mechanics
Summary: Cahn‐Hilliard theory for symmetric binary polymer mixtures is used to study the influence of a surface which is attractive to one component of the polymer blend. We revisit modelling approaches to the dynamics of a polymer blend at or near a surface to show that quantitative agreement with previous models is only possible if a number of issues are resolved. We address the issue of how the numerical length scales chosen during the simulation affect the accuracy of the magnitude of surface segregation when a blend is undergoing spinodal decomposition. Finally we investigate whether equilibration has any effect on the morphology of the blend at the surface or in the bulk after a quench into the two‐phase region has occurred.