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Details of Grant 

EPSRC Reference: GR/N36721/01
Title: PHASE BEHAVIOUR OF BINARY BLOCK COPOLYMER/HOMOPOLYMER BLENDS: THEORY AND EXPERIMENT
Principal Investigator: Matsen, Professor MW
Other Investigators:
Researcher Co-Investigators:
Project Partners:
DOW
Department: Physics
Organisation: University of Reading
Scheme: Standard Research (Pre-FEC)
Starts: 01 April 2001 Ends: 31 March 2005 Value (£): 72,446
EPSRC Research Topic Classifications:
Materials Characterisation
EPSRC Industrial Sector Classifications:
Manufacturing Chemicals
No relevance to Underpinning Sectors
Related Grants:
Panel History:  
Summary on Grant Application Form
Abstract:Block copolymers are well known for applications such as blend compatiblisers, thermoplastic elastomers, and surface modifiers, and various new applications are emerging such as nanoscale templates, porous materials and membranes, and thermoplastic liquid-crystalline elastomers. Furthermore, synthesis techniques are becoming more economical allowing the wider use of block copolymers for the superior material properties resulting from their internal microstructure. Such materials will be best controlled by blending. Our proposed research will conduct a combined theoretical and experimental study on the phase behaviour of model block copolymer blends, specifically, AB-type diblocks with A-type homopolymer. A dedicated small angle x-ray scattering (SAXS) facility will permit the measurement of accurate equilibrium phase diagrams, while high-performance computer facilities will allow for a complete mapping of the experimentally relevant intermediate segregation regime. This study will examine general principles relevant to all block copolymer blends (e.g. packing frustration, competition between translational entropy of the homopolymer and stretching energy of the copolymer layers). Some of these issues are also highly relevant to the general field of complex liquids, in particular lyotropic liquid crystals. Our study will also provide an important test of block copolymer theory.
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Organisation Website: http://www.rdg.ac.uk