We investigate the conformations of single regularly-repeating block copolymer chains with rigidity in a poor solvent. We predict the existence of two novel conformations—the stripey torus and the figure eight, and examine the stability of these theoretically.

TiO2 nanoparticles were synthesised by a PS-b-PEO block copolymer templated sol–gel process within a thin polymer film. The resulting nanoparticles proved to be well defined with a surface coverage depending on the sol–gel content during synthesis. Surface force microscopy as well as...

In recent years ultra small angle neutron scattering (USANS) has developed into a powerful standard method for large scale structure investigations. The upgraded instrument S18 at the ILL's 58MW high flux reactor is operated routinely with increasing beam time demand. The performance of the...

We have studied the dynamic and static properties of binary and ternary polymer blends in temperature and concentration domains that include the critical temperature. The ternary blends consisted of A and B homopolymers and an A–B diblock copolymer. In binary blends and in ternary blends with...

The microphase separation of symmetric diblock copolymers in the presence of an external force field is simulated by means of a cell dynamical system model. It is found that the pattern formation is greatly affected by the presence of the field and by the type of boundary conditions considered....

Interfaces between lamellar and disordered phases, and grain boundaries within lamellar phases, are investigated employing a simple Landau free energy functional. The former are examined using analytic, approximate methods in the weak segregation limit, leading to density profiles which can...