Phase Field Modeling of the Microstructure in PS-AA-PMMA and PSAA-PMMA/X

A Phase field method (PFM) based on a time-dependent Ginzburg–Landau (TDGL) approach has been used to study the structure changes in the PS-AA-PMMA systems under the exposure of UV light. The simulations demonstrate that, in the binary system, with increasing of the polymer-chain-length, the structure of PS-AA-PMMA changes from soybean-like to noodle-like gradually. And the structure becomes more long-range ordered with the intensification of a homogeneous UV light. In the ternary system, with a nonreactive polymer or oxide (X) added, rectangular regions with higher intensity of UV lights are used to accumulate the phase X. It is shown that the spacing between regions and the intensity of UV radiation play important roles in determining the periodic PS-AA-PMMA blends in the ternary systems. These results may provide little guides for manufacturing long-range ordered and defect-free microstructures of PS-AA-PMMA.