6533b86cfe1ef96bd12c7f57

RESEARCH PRODUCT

false

Kurt Binder

subject

chemistry.chemical_classificationPhase transitionPolymers and PlasticsSpinodal decompositionGeneral Chemical EngineeringMonte Carlo methodMineralogyThermodynamicsPolymerCondensed Matter::Soft Condensed MatterchemistryMean field theoryPhenomenological modelWettingPolymer blend

description

Surfaces have a profound effect on the structure and related properties of multiphase polymeric materials, such as polymer mixtures and block copolymer mesophases. In particular, phase transitions in the bulk (unmixing, microphase separation, etc.) may be complemented by surface-induced transitions (formation of wetting layers, surface-directed spinodal decomposition, surface-induced ordering). This review gives a brief introduction to the phenomenological theories of such phenomena, emphasizing the simplest approach based on Flory—Huggins—de Gennes free energy functionals and associated Monte Carlo simulations. More sophisticated theories and recent experiments are mentioned briefly.

https://doi.org/10.1002/actp.1995.010460302