The nature of phase transitions of symmetric diblock copolymer melts under confinement

The effects of confinement, both the structure frustration and the surface field, on phase transitions of symmetric diblock copolymer melts are investigated within several theoretical methods on the mean-field level. Confinements are applied by restricting polymer chains in the finite spaces of slabs. The surface can be neutral or preferential depending on the strength of the surface field. Within the one-dimensional self-consistent mean-field …