Large Scale Domain Alignment of a Block Copolymer from Solution Using Electric Fields

Abstract

We have aligned the microdomains of a polystyrene- b -poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate)- b -poly(methyl methacrylate) (PS- b -PHEMA- b -PMMA) triblock copolymer during preparation from solution by virtue of an external electric dc field (1.8 kV/mm). Bulk samples cast in the presence of an electric field exhibit lamellar microdomains highly oriented parallel to the electric field vector, as shown by small-angle X-ray scattering and transmission electron microscopy.