Bulk morphologies of polystyrene-block-polybutadiene-block-poly(tert-butyl methacrylate) triblock terpolymers

Abstract The self-assembly of block copolymers in the bulk phase enables the formation of complex nanostructures with sub 100 nm periodicities and long-range order, both relevant for nanotechnology applications. Here, we map the bulk phase behavior of polystyrene-block-polybutadiene-block-poly(tert-butyl methacrylate) (SBT) triblock terpolymers on a series of narrowly distributed polymers with widely different block volume fractions, ϕS, ϕB and ϕT. In dependence of ϕ, we find the lamella–lamella, core-shell cylinder, cylinder-in-lamella and core-shell gyroid morphology, but also a rarely observed cylinder-in-lamella phase. The bulk morphologies are thoroughly characterized by transmission e…