This article explores the dynamics, thermodynamics, and small-angle scattering of block copolymers. The goal is to determine what drives the applications of block copolymers, i.e. how block copolymers behave and how they are characterized. The article begins with a summary of the experimental data and various theories that comprise our understanding of block copolymer thermodynamics, with particular emphasis on phase behavior and especially the theory of microphase separation. It then considers topics related to block copolymer dynamics, including diffusion, viscoelasticity and rheology, shear-processing, and the kinetics of self-assembly. It also discusses small-angle scattering techniques as applied to block copolymer characterization, including scattering from ordered block copolymer melts.
Kinetics of oil dispersion in the absence and presence of block copolymers
