Phase Behavior of Binary Blends of Diblock Copolymers: Progress and Opportunities

The phase behavior of binary blends of diblock copolymers has been examined extensively in the past decades. Experimental and theoretical studies have demonstrated that mixing two different block copolymers provides an efficient and versatile route to regulate their self-assembled morphologies. A good understanding of the principles governing the self-assembly of block copolymer blends has been obtained from the study of A₁B₁/A₂B₂ diblock copolymer blends. The second (A₂B₂) diblocks could act synergistically as fillers and cosurfactants to regulate the domain size and interfacial properties, resulting in the formation of ordered phases not found in the parent (A₁B₁ or A₂B₂) diblock copolymer melts. The study of A₁B₁/A₂B₂ block copolymer blends further provides a solid foundation for future research on more complex block copolymer blends.