Continuous polydispersity in a self-consistent field theory for diblock copolymers.

An efficient algorithm is presented for numerically evaluating a self-consistent field theoretic (SCFT) model of an AB diblock copolymer that incorporates continuous polydispersity in one of the blocks. An interesting segregation effect is found in which chains of intermediate molecular weight are concentrated at domain interfaces. This model of continuous polydispersity is also implemented in the random phase approximation (RPA) to study the order-disorder transition and predicts that the stability of the disordered, homogeneous phase decreases as the polydispersity in one of the blocks increases. The RPA predictions are confirmed by SCFT calculations. Our approach and results are particularly relevant to block copolymers prepared by quasiliving synthesis techniques, where the polymerization of one block is much more controlled than the other block. Copyright 2004 American Institute of Physics