Coarsening and Pinning in the Self-consistent Solution of Polymer Blends Phase-Separation Kinetics
Abstract
We study analytically a continuum model for phase-separation in binary polymer blends based on the Flory-Huggins-De Gennes free energy, by means of the self-consistent large- limit approach. The model is solved for values of the parameters corresponding to the weak and strong segregation limits. For deep quenches we identify a complex structure of intermediate regimes and crossovers characterized by the existence of a time domain such that phase separation is pinned, followed by a preasymptotic regime which in the scalar case corresponds to surface diffusion. The duration of the pinning is analytically computed and diverges in the strong segregation limit. Eventually a late stage dynamics sets in, described by scaling laws and exponents analogous to those of the corresponding small molecule systems.
Keywords
Cite
@article{arxiv.cond-mat/9707268,
title = {Coarsening and Pinning in the Self-consistent Solution of Polymer Blends Phase-Separation Kinetics},
author = {Claudio Castellano and Federico Corberi},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:cond-mat/9707268},
year = {2009}
}
Comments
16 pages, 5 figures. Submitted to Phys. Rev. E