Microstructures and phase transitions of A(BC)4 miktoarm star copolymers

The microstructures that self-assemble from A(BC)4 miktoarm star copolymers were investigated by self-consistent field theory. By tuning the interaction parameters between the different components and the volume fractions of the A, B, and C blocks, eleven kinds of highly ordered microstructures as well as a series of order–order and order–disorder transitions were observed. Triangle phase diagrams were constructed to show the different phase regions where a particular microstructure is stable. Our results show that tuning the interaction parameters and volume fractions of the blocks represents an effective control mechanism for obtaining desired microstructures.